One More Day
by bluephoenixsong
Summary: Forever begins with just one day. The continuing story of Jessica Caine and Ryan Wolfe and their journey through life together. Rated M for language and adult themes.
1. Just the Beginning

**And they're back again! Thus begins the eleventh story in my series "The Intern" featuring Ryan Wolfe and Jessica Caine!**

* * *

One More Day

* * *

_Forever begins with just one day. This Jessica Caine and Ryan Wolfe have already learned. Their story begins with a day in their life together. Jessica's seven months pregnant with their son, but Ryan doesn't have a clue as to gender and name. But what Jessica doesn't know is Ryan has something for her, too. Something that will truly bind them together forever._

* * *

Just the Beginning

* * *

Ryan Wolfe's eyes slowly opened as the morning light washed over his face. He felt the warm body next to his and smiled to himself. He leaned in and gently kissed his long time girlfriend. She stirred in her sleep and slowly shifted in their bed. Her eyes cracked open and Ryan was met by the familiar blue.

"Good morning, love," he whispered, kissing her again.

"Good morning to you, too, handsome," Jessica Caine smiled as she propped herself up in bed. She groaned and held her large belly in her hands as she felt her baby kick hard within her.

"So you're really not going to tell me the sex of our first born child?" Ryan playfully asked.

"Nope," Jessica answered with a smile. "You'll just have to find out when it's born. Greg insisted on knowing when he took me in for my three month check up so I got to find out then."

"I'm sure you didn't object," Ryan said with a roll of his eyes.

"Of course not," Jessica smirked, "It's just one more thing I can use to torture you."

Ryan chuckled and climbed from the bed. "You're just like your father," he said as he walked into the bathroom.

* * *

"You're doing it wrong, Ryan," Jessica said. "Here, let me show you."

"Sorry, tools aren't my forte," Ryan said as he stepped aside from the partially assembled crib. He reached down and scratched behind their dog, Lucy's, ears.

"Nothing practical is your forte," Jessica grumbled.

Eric Delko laughed as he walked into the bedroom carrying another box. "Look at that, seven months pregnant and Jess is still working."

"Hey, my maternity leave doesn't start for another four weeks," Jessica sassed. "That means I only have seven weeks to get my condo baby proofed before my child is born."

"Well if you had told me you were pregnant while you were off playing hide and go seek then maybe I could have been getting these things ready," Ryan said as he looked over the directions for the crib again.

"So you guys have any names picked out yet?" Eric asked as he opened a box to find more baby supplies.

"Yeah, Jessica has the bastard's name picked out and everything but she won't tell me," Ryan grumbled as he helped Eric sort through the unisex baby supplies. "She won't even let me open the boxes that have any identifiable items in them; no clothes, no toys, not even that stupid box with the name plaque Sara Sidle made for our child."

"I told you I want it to be a surprise," Jessica retorted as she finished setting up the crib.

"We can't even have one of those announcement parties with the pink or blue cake?" Ryan asked.

"No, and I think that's kind of tacky," Jessica answered. "Time for lunch!"

"Jess, we just ate breakfast like an hour ago," Ryan commented.

"Yes but me and the little tike are hungry again," Jessica said as she waddled towards the bedroom door, Lucy following at her heels.

* * *

Horatio Caine smiled as he looked at the ultrasound picture of his first grandchild. He didn't know the sex and he didn't have the slightest clue as to a name, but he knew he was in love already. He leaned back against the chair in the airport and continued to admire the strangely shaped baby.

"Dad!" he heard someone call out. Horatio looked up to see his son, Kyle Harmon, running towards him.

Horatio stood and encased his son in his arms. He held him close and breathed in his unique scent. He pulled back from their embrace and smiled at him.

"Where's Jessica?" Kyle quickly asked.

Horatio chuckled at his son's eagerness and smiled. "She's at her condo," he answered as they began walking towards the luggage claim. "Getting ready for a baby."

"How soon?" Kyle eagerly asked.

Horatio smiled and held up the ultrasound picture. "Just seven more weeks," he quietly said.

Kyle's face lit up with joy as he held it in his hands. "Oh my gosh, he's so big! What's his name?"

"I don't know," Horatio said as he picked up his son's suitcase, "Jessica won't tell anyone. We don't even know the sex yet."

"Damn," Kyle muttered, "I thought me being away for a week would have been good enough for her to spill."

"Well you know your sister," Horatio said as they walked out into the bright Miami sun together, "Stubborn as the day is long."

"Just like you," Kyle playfully muttered.

* * *

Natalia Boa Vista smiled at the sight of the crib in Jessica and Ryan's room. "You guys must be so excited," she said as she walked with Ryan back downstairs.

"Only the most frickin excited I've ever been in my entire life excited!" Ryan declared, "I can't believe we're going to have a baby!"

"And the best part is you missed out on all the wonderful morning sickness, moodiness, and horrid food carvings," Jessica smiled as she walked into the living room with them. "However, poor Greg Sanders was the one that I went to when I had a carving for chocolate ice cream at two in the afternoon."

Ryan chuckled and wrapped his arm around her growing waist. "Well I hope you weren't too hard on the poor guy," he said with a smile.

Jessica smiled back and kissed his cheek. "Now why do you guys keep insisting on having a baby shower for us?" Jessica asked Natalia.

"Because you're pregnant!" Calleigh exclaimed as she walked in carrying presents.

"But I think I got everything we need during my baby shower when I was living in Vegas," Jessica groaned as she sat down on her couch.

"Well we weren't there to celebrate," Eric said as he sat down in a chair. "So now you have to have two."

Jessica sighed and leaned back against the couch. "Fine, but we can't start until Daddy and Kyle get here."

"Which seems to be right now," Ryan said as someone knocked on the door.

* * *

Jessica cried out as pain momentarily ripped through her body. She grasped her large belly and willed the contractions to silence themselves.

"Ryan," she gasped, "Ryan wake up! I think something's wrong!"

Ryan shot up in bed and reached across to her. He held her stomach and felt the muscle spasms beneath her skin.

"You're not going into labor, are you?" Ryan desperately asked.

"I don't know," Jessica said as she began to cry. "I've been having these weird pains lately and I thought it was just false labor pains but this feels different. Oh god, something's not right."

"Come on, we're going to the hospital," Ryan said, climbing from the bed.

"Are you sure?" Jessica whimpered as he helped her to her feet.

"Yes, better safe than sorry," Ryan said as he led her through the house.

* * *

Horatio sighed in relief as he listened to Ryan on the phone.

"Just false labor pains," Horatio repeated.

"Yeah, they were just really intense this time," Ryan explained. "The doctor says it was a good thing we brought her in though. Turns out the little tike was turned sideways and that's what was causing the major pains."

"Sideways?" Horatio inquired as he walked through his house, getting ready for work. "How did he end up sideways?"

"Don't know," Ryan said. "The doctor said at this stage he's still somersaulting a lot so he may have just gotten stuck mid spin."

"Ryan, you keep referring to the baby as he," Horatio pointed out, "Does that mean…"

"No, I still don't know the sex, but it just feels wrong calling our baby an it. So I picked a sex and have just been sticking with it. I figure Jessica will either tell me eventually or slip up sooner or later."

Horatio chuckled as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "Well don't worry about coming into work today," he said, "I think you had enough excitement last night."

Ryan chuckled and Horatio heard a car door open and shut. "Thanks Dad, I think we both need a few more hours of sleep before we can tackle the bad guys."

Horatio hung up his phone and leaned against his counter. He smiled at the background picture on his phone of Jessica and Ryan together, Ryan's hand resting on her belly protectively. He took a long drink of his coffee as his thoughts wandered through space.

* * *

"Two shots!" Jessica called out as she lifted the pistol on the firing range. She quickly pulled the trigger twice and the loud shots rang out in the ballistics lab. She set the gun down and removed her headphones as she went to retrieve her spent rounds.

"Well look at you girly," Calleigh chuckled as she walked in, "You're what, thirty weeks pregnant and still test firing?"

"I've got a bullet proof vest on," Jessica smiled as she knelt down to collect casings. "That should be good enough. Besides, it's not like I'm out in the field."

"Oh I'm sure Daddy H would love to have you out there right now," Calleigh chuckled.

"I'm fine," Jessica said with a roll of her eyes, "Everyone's worrying over nothing."

She turned to walk to the microscope when spasms rippled through her body. She grasped her abdomen and doubled over in pain. Calleigh was at her side, helping her to a chair.

"Are you sure you're fine?" she asked Jessica.

"Yes, I'm absolutely fine!" Jessica snapped as she held her belly. "Oliver's just kicking extra hard lately."

"Oliver?" Calleigh said. A smile played across her face as realization hit her. "You're having a boy?"

Jessica sighed and mentally kicked herself for slipping up. "Yes, I'm having a boy," she quietly said, "but please don't tell anyone."

Calleigh squealed with delight and clapped her hands. "Oh I'm so excited! I'm the only one who knows you're having a boy!"

"Well, the only one in Miami," Jessica corrected. "The entire Las Vegas Crime Lab and most of the Naval Criminal Investigative Services knows, too."

Calleigh jumped a little in excitement and quietly squealed again. "Oh I'm so excited! I know a secret!"

"Well just make sure it stays a secret," Jessica said as she stood from the chair. "Now if you'll excuse me my son and I need to use the restroom."

As soon as she left the lab Calleigh pulled out her phone and sent a quick text.

'I know the sex of your child, Ryan!'

'What?! How did you find out?'

'Jessica slipped up and told me the baby's name!'

'Damn it, will you tell me?'

'Nope, I promised to keep it a secret, lover boy!'

* * *

Molly looked up as a very pregnant woman walked into the Trace lab. She looked at her blue eyes and blonde hair and knew immediately who she was.

"You're really alive," she quietly said as she continued her work.

"Yes," Jessica Caine answered, "and I wanted to talk to you."

Molly looked at her but quickly looked away. "I thought you were dead, that's why I pursued him so hard."

"I'm not mad at you," Jessica quietly said. "The point of the staged suicide was to make everyone think I was dead so the Crip Kings would leave me alone once and for all."

"You're not mad at me because I tried to steal your boyfriend?" Molly asked her.

"No," Jessica said, "I'm not mad because I love Ryan and I know I can trust him. I know where his heart lies. Besides, I would think he'd go for someone a little classier."

Jessica turned and walked from the Trace lab, a smug smile on her face over the expression on Molly's face.

* * *

**Personally, I never liked Molly from season nine. I felt Ryan could do much better. She was kind of a snob.**


	2. Crescent Moon

**I'm a little "meh" on this chapter. It's a bit strange, but it turned out alright. Adult themes in this chapter.**

* * *

Crescent Moon

* * *

The team was gathered in the layout room. Several pictures from various crime scenes were laid out on the light table. Each was of a different man with his throat slit in an alley.

"None of the victims had anything in common," Eric explained. "They were different ages, different backgrounds, from different parts of town. I mean these guys had absolutely nothing in common, besides the fact that they all came from money."

"They did have one thing in common," Horatio said.

"What's that?" Walter asked.

"They were all patrons of the same strip club," Horatio explained.

"So you think we have some kind of serial killing stripper?" Natalia inquired.

"Or someone else in the club," Horatio said.

"So what are we going to do?" Ryan asked.

"We need to get inside the club," Horatio said, "but there's only one way we can get in for sure."

"You mean someone has to go undercover," Walter said.

"Oh no," Natalia said, "No way am I going undercover in a strip club."

"Same here," Calleigh chimed in. "There's no way you're getting me in a g-string and pasties."

"That's quite alright," Horatio said as he pulled a piece of paper from a file folder, "Neither of you fit the style." He placed the paper on the light table and everyone stared at the poster for the strip club. It said "Crescent Moon" across the top with the silhouette of a dancer against a pole. The dancer was pregnant.

"Oh bullshit!" Jessica exclaimed as she grabbed the poster. "You expect me to dance naked?!"

"You have before," Horatio quietly said, pulling out a picture and setting it on the light table.

The picture was of a young blonde woman in a black and blue corset and matching panties. Large sparkly black and blue butterfly wings fanned out from her back. She was wearing a sparkly black and blue mask that went around her eyes with black lipstick. Her blue eyes were an intense sapphire behind the dark mask and her body was long and slender as she stretched along the silver pole.

"Madame Butterfly?" Walter quietly said. He looked at Horatio confused and then at the picture again. "She was a stripper in Toledo years ago. She was like semi-famous, well until she disappeared off the grid. What does she have to do with…?" Walter's voice trailed off and he sheepishly looked towards Jessica's angry face.

"You knew," she whispered.

Horatio nodded his head. "You were an adult, what could I do to stop you?"

"How did you find out?" Jessica asked.

"Do you remember Rich?" Horatio asked. Jessica nodded her head. "Well he called me up and I flew up to Ohio for an impromptu bachelor party. We ended up at The Satin Scarf. He told me about a beautiful stripper who went by the name Madame Butterfly and said we needed to see her. When she came out I took one look at her and walked out of the party."

"You never said anything to me about it," Jessica whispered.

"Like I said, you were an adult. What you did for a living was none of my business," Horatio explained.

"Wait," Walter interrupted, "Jessica's Madam Butterfly?"

Jessica sighed and stared at the picture. "I needed the money and dancing was quick and easy cash." She explained, "I mean I got up on stage, shook my ass, and guys practically threw the cash at me. I didn't even have to take any of my clothes off for them to beg for more."

"That's one of the things that made Madame Butterfly so famous," Walter said, "She never got down to a g-string and pasties but men were requesting for her. She was never naked on stage, but damn she could give you a hard on that hurt…" Walter's voice trailed off again as his face flushed a dark red. "Oh my god, that was my boss's daughter," he whispered.

"So you've seen Madame Butterfly live," Eric chuckled.

Walter silently nodded his head. "Yeah, I was visiting my cousin in Toledo and we went to The Satin Scarf."

"Did you get a lap dance from her?" Eric laughed.

"Oh hell no, it cost five thousand dollars just to get a private dance from her!" Walter exclaimed, "My buddy paid almost two G's to get a lap dance on the floor that lasted five minutes!"

"Jesus, Jessica," Natalia said astonished, "How much did you make in a night?"

"I'm not answering that," Jessica quickly said. "If it makes a difference I was trying to make money for college."

Eric laughed and shook his head. "So Ryan's dating a former stripper," he chuckled. "Did you know about this, Wolfe?"

"Actually yes I did," Ryan said, wrapping his arm protectively around Jessica's waist. "I told her it didn't bother me what she used to do as long as her corset was retired."

"Does she ever bring it back out for you?" Eric continued to laugh.

Ryan smirked and held Jessica closer to his body. "Yes, and I get all the lap dances I want for free."

Horatio cleared his throat and Ryan jumped in fright.

"We need to get back on track," Horatio said. He looked at Jessica with a very serious expression. "Jess, are you willing to help us?"

Jessica sighed and looked at the picture of her younger self on the table. "Fine, but I want my corset made of Kevlar this time."

Horatio chuckled and scooped up the picture. "Alright, I'll see to it." He looked at Ryan as he turned to leave the layout room. "Mr. Wolfe, I think it's time for a belated birthday celebration."

Ryan nodded his head in acknowledgement. "Got it, H," he said.

As the team walked through the hall back to their labs Eric caught up with Ryan.

"So does Jess really bust out the old corsets?" he whispered to him.

Ryan smiled and squeezed Jessica's hand. "Yeah, in fact the one she was wearing in that picture she wore for my birthday last year."

* * *

Horatio and Ryan walked into the dimly lit club together. The bouncer checked their fake IDs Jessica had made them and waved them through. Ryan shifted nervously as they sat in chairs facing the stage.

"God, this feels so wrong," Ryan whispered.

"Which; being in a strip club or the fact that the dancers are pregnant?" Horatio quietly asked.

"Both really," Ryan whispered in response. "I haven't been to a strip club since Jess and I started dating."

"You went to a strip club without my little girl?" Horatio chuckled.

"Yeah, Eric didn't tell me where we were going for our guys' night out and that's where he took Jesse and I," Ryan said as his face flushed slightly.

Horatio chuckled and smiled at him. "I'm sure Bug loved hearing about that."

"Yeah, she practically ripped my nipples off for it," Ryan sighed.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, especially the men,"_ the DJ's voice sounded, _"We have a special surprise tonight at Crescent Moon. For the first time in a decade, coming out of retirement for a brief one night performance, please welcome all the way from Toledo, Ohio, Madame Butterfly!"_

The lights blacked out and dim purple stage lights came up. The curtain slowly opened as fog rolled out onto the stage. Low, dark music began quietly as the figure emerged gracefully from the darkness, her butterfly wings seeming to flutter with each step. The lights slowly came up as she spun around the pole in the center of the stage.

She held the pole with one hand and leaned out from it. She looked directly at Ryan and a shiver ran down his spine at the sight of her deep blue eyes behind the purple and black mask. She grasped the pole with both hands and pulled herself up onto it, gracefully spinning in circles around it with her legs curled up along the silver metal. She stopped with her back to Ryan and bent backwards and placed her hands flat on the floor with her legs still wrapped protectively around the pole. She released her grasp and did a graceful back flip, landing upright on her feet; legs slightly crossed with the left in front of her right and her arms stretched high above her head elegantly.

The audience erupted into loud cheers and whistles. Bills began flying up onto the stage as she sauntered about in her purple and black corset. An elegant sheer purple skirt fluttered behind her, beginning at either side of her hips and billowing behind her towards the ground. She grasped the pole and spun and danced. She occasionally stopped and looked at different men; smiling and seemingly flirting with them as they threw more cash onto the stage. She stopped and looked at Horatio and Ryan and smiled wryly.

She sauntered over to where they sat in front of the stage and benevolently sat before them.

"Well hey there, Big Daddy," she said in her seductive voice, "What brings you here?"

Horatio chuckled and smiled at her. "You remember me," he said, playing along.

"A dashing silver fox like yourself isn't one to be forgotten," she smirked. She looked at Ryan and smiled. "And who would these beautiful hazel eyes belong to?"

Ryan's tongue felt thick and his pants tight. He hadn't realized just how much Jessica had turned him on by her simple dancing.

"My son," Horatio answered.

"Special occasion?" she prompted.

"His thirtieth birthday," Horatio answered.

Jessica smiled at Ryan and pulled her skirt off. She wrapped it around his neck and caressed his face. Another shiver ran down Ryan's spine and he was sure he would cum just from the simple gesture.

"That's for you, hot stuff," Jessica smiled. "You can have more if you'd like. That is, if Big Daddy is willing to pay up."

"What's your price this time, Bug?" Horatio asked, not realizing he used Jessica's nickname.

Jessica looked at him with her large blue eyes. "What are you willing to pay for your only son to have a good time?"

Horatio dug through his wallet and fished out several hundred dollar bills. He fanned them out and held it up for Jessica. She looked at the green bills and smiled.

"I think that will do," she said, taking the money and tucking it into the bra of her corset. "A little less then my normal fee, but I think I can make an exception, only because I think you're a striking pair."

She hopped from the stage and pulled Ryan to his feet. Men whistled and other dancers catcalled as Jessica led Ryan towards a backroom. Horatio pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Eric.

'They're headed back. Get ready for the takedown.'

Jessica locked the door behind her and smiled at Ryan. His heart thudded and his member throbbed as she guided him to sit in the overstuffed chair in the private dance room. She grinded against him and stroked him through his pants. Ryan's face flushed as Jessica gave him a seductive lap dance and he found his hands wandering across her body.

Jessica pulled Ryan's pants open and freed his leaking erection. She pulled her panties to the side and slid him inside her. Ryan absent mindedly moaned and arched his back as Jessica slowly and seductively thrusted on top of him. His entire body tensed and tingled as a powerful orgasm overcame him and took him to another level.

Jessica leaned in and silently kissed him. "Did you already forget who I am?" she whispered into his ear.

Ryan shook his head and leaned his forehead against the side of her head. "You just mesmerized me," he whispered. "I don't know how you did it, but you took me somewhere else and made me realize how much I truly love you."

Jessica smiled and kissed him again. "I love you, too," she whispered.

Then Jessica was off his lap, zipping his pants closed, and straightening out her costume. She looked into his eyes and slowly nodded her head once, her hand slipping behind her back where her wings were attached to her corset.

Suddenly Jessica grabbed the front of his shirt and threw Ryan to the ground. He hit hard and gasped as gunshots rang out. He looked up from where he lay on the ground and watched as Jessica fired her glock at someone he couldn't see. She abruptly grabbed her right side and dropped to her knees.

Ryan quickly drew his weapon from his ankle holster and leapt to his feet. He didn't know where they were coming from and he shot blindly.

"Not my baby, you bastards!" he yelled as he blew a hole in a man's shoulder. Horatio kicked in the door and MDPD patrol units flooded into the room.

Ryan dropped to his knees at Jessica's side. She gasped for air and held her side. Ryan loosened her corset and held her head in his hand.

"Are you ok, love?" he asked her.

Jessica nodded her head. "The Kevlar took the bullet," she gasped, "but it feels like a fucking horse kicked me."

"And you know from experience what that feels like," Horatio smiled at her.

* * *

"So it was the bouncer who was targeting the Johns," Natalia said as they reviewed the evidence.

"Yeah, apparently he was picking out which guys to rob and knock off," Frank said. "He'd sneak a peak at their wallet contents and then tell the dancers which to pick for a private show."

"But Jessica really screwed them up when she didn't pick the right John," Calleigh said.

"Yeah, he told me to go with the black haired middle aged man in the right wing," Jessica explained, "but, naturally, I didn't. I think that's what made him realize something wasn't right."

"Did he figure out you were a cop?" Walter asked.

Jessica shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure. He knew something wasn't right but couldn't seem to figure out what it was."

"Good call on the Kevlar there, Jess." Natalia commented, "What made you think you would need it?"

"Oh I needed it alright," Jessica said, her hand running over her large abdomen. "I knew I wasn't setting foot out of this lab without some protection for my baby."

Ryan smiled and placed his hand over hers. He twined their fingers together and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I'm glad you did," he whispered.

Jessica smiled at him and kissed him lightly. "Only the best for our little gummy bear," she whispered.

* * *

Ryan felt himself engorge with excitement as he watched Jessica saunter into their bedroom wearing the black and purple corset, the large butterfly wings glittering in the dim light. She straddled his hips where he laid on their bed, handcuffed to the headboard. She clawed and rubbed at his erection inside the thong she had dressed him in.

"You ready for a little reunion party?" she whispered in his ear, biting at his earlobe.

Ryan could only manage to nod his head as Jessica pulled down his skimpy underwear.


	3. Four-Nineteen

**Sorry I'm such a lousy updater. .o  
**

**Police Code (at least on CSI) 4-19= dead body. 4-19 is also the date of the day this chapter takes place. When you finish reading it, can you figure out the irony? I'm so punny!**

* * *

Four-Nineteen

* * *

Jessica laid on her back on the couch in Horatio's office. Her hands were resting on her large baby bump, counting fetal movements.

"Damn," she whispered, "He's really moving today."

Horatio knelt beside her and ran his hand along her curved figure. "Is that normal?" he quietly inquired.

"Well I'm thirty-one weeks along, so I'm going to guess he's just itching to get out."

Horatio smiled at her and kissed her cheek. "Will you please tell me, Bug?"

Jessica smiled and slyly shook her head. "Nope, it's a surprise." She sat up and groaned. "I just wish he would stop for a little while. It's really kind of painful."

"Are you going to make it through the rest of the day?" Horatio asked her as he helped Jessica to her feet.

"Yes, yes," Jessica insisted, "You have nothing to worry about, Dad. I'm not going to give birth in the fingerprint lab or something."

* * *

Jessica walked with Eric towards the morgue. He smiled and shook his head at the sight of her.

"Weren't you supposed to start your maternity leave already?" he chuckled.

"No, that starts next week," Jessica said as she rubbed her lower back. "But apparently the Braxton-Hicks contractions start now."

"The what?" Eric asked confused.

"Braxton-Hicks contractions," Dr. Tom said as he continued to work on a body, "Also more commonly known as false labor pains."

Jessica smiled and ran her hand across her tight flesh. "I knew you would know that, Dr. Tom."

Tom smiled at her briefly before he returned to his work. "John Hopkins, best medical school in the country. They made sure we knew every aspect of the human body. Now, speaking of bodies lets talk about your John Doe here."

Jessica and Eric listened as Tom reviewed each and every one of the victim's injuries. Jessica tried her best to focus but was having difficulty as the pain in her abdomen began to increase. She felt a layer of sweat form against her body and her heart began to pound harder as her breathing became more labored. When a sudden tremor rippled through her body, Jessica knew something wasn't right.

"Eric," she gasped, "Eric, something's wrong."

Eric looked at her shocked. "What is it?"

"I don't know," Jessica said as her voice began to strain. "I think I need to go to the hospital."

"Are you sure?" Eric asked as he walked around the autopsy table to her.

"Yes, something's not right-" Jessica's voice stopped abruptly as she felt something liquid run down her leg. "Oh god," she whispered, "I think my water just broke."

Tom rushed to her side and looked at her legs. Clear fluid and blood had begun to trickle down her bare legs under her sundress.

"Looks and smells like amniotic fluid to me," he said. "Eric, you need to get her to the hospital now!"

Jessica suddenly screamed out in pain and grabbed at her abdomen. Tears formed in her eyes as blood began trailing down her legs.

"Where does it hurt, Jessica?" Tom quickly asked, trying to assess her the best he could.

"My stomach!" she screamed, "It feels like something's ripping through my stomach!"

Tom grabbed her skirt and pulled it up, exposing her large abdomen. Red splotches had formed against Jessica's pale skin. "She's hemorrhaging," he quickly said, "We need to lay her flat on her back. I need two of you to lay out some clean sheets!" he called out to a couple of morgue assistants.

"Tom," Eric quietly said, "Does that look like a hand print to you?"

Tom looked at the blemish on Jessica's right side. It was circular in shape with five spokes fanning outward. "My god," he whispered, "Her placenta's ruptured and he's trying to get out."

They laid Jessica on her back on the floor of the morgue and Tom quickly hiked her skirt up and pulled off her panties. "One of you get me a ruler and the other start documenting this!" he ordered his assistance.

Tom checked Jessica's cervix with the ruler and felt the color drain from his face. "She's fully dilated and he's crowning!" he called out.

"What? No!" Jessica cried out, "It's not time! I have five more weeks!"

"Jessica, this baby's coming out right now," Tom said, "So I need you to start pushing when I tell you."

"I can't!" Jessica cried, "It's not time!"

"Jessie Bug, you need to push!" Tom ordered, "If he doesn't get out soon your baby will die!"

Jessica began sobbing hysterically, muttering that it wasn't time. Eric slid behind her and propped her up against his chest.

"Jessica Caine," he said to her, "Your baby's coming out right now. Do you want him to die?"

"No!" Jessica screamed, "but he's not ready!"

"Well clearly he's got a different idea of what ready is!" Eric said, "So start pushing, sweetheart!"

Jessica continued to cry as the pain ripped through her body.

"Jessica push!" Tom commanded. He looked at the stunned morgue assistant with the ruler and motioned for the phone. "Page Horatio Caine, tell him we need him in the morgue now!" The young medical student rushed to the phone and fumbled as she tried to dial the right number.

Tom placed his hands on Jessica's knees and looked into her pain filled eyes. "Jessica Caine, you need to start pushing now, if you don't this child will die. Now push!"

Tears streamed down Jessica's face as she began pushing with every muscle in her body. She screamed as the pain increased and she felt blood pour from her body. She stopped once she heard Tom count to ten. She gasped for air as her entire body shook. She was in so much pain it felt as if her body was splitting in half.

"You're doing great, Jessie," Eric quietly said to her. "Just keep pushing."

Jessica nodded her head and resumed pushing when Tom ordered her to. A sudden release hit her and it felt as if the air left her lungs. There was silence as Tom yelled for towels.

"Come on little guy," Tom muttered. "Breathe already!"

Then Jessica felt like her heart stopped. There was a loud wailing sound as her son cried out for the first time. Tom laughed as he held the small child in his arms. He gingerly placed the baby in Jessica's arms as he continued to howl, now snuggly wrapped in a towel.

"Congratulations," he said to her, "It's a boy."

New tears streamed down Jessica's face as she looked from Tom to her newborn son. Her hand trembled as she carefully stroked his full head of brown hair.

"Oh my god," she whispered, "Oliver."

Horatio burst through the doors of the morgue and stopped at the sight of his daughter on the floor, a blood soaked sheet beneath her and a baby in her arms. She looked at him with her red rimmed blue eyes and her pale face, a weak smile on her face.

"Daddy," she quietly said, "I had a baby."

* * *

Ryan and Calleigh stared at the sight of the two ambulances sitting outside the Miami Dade Police Department. Foot traffic was halted as medics rushed into the building.

"What in the world's going on?" Calleigh asked Ryan as they leapt from their Hummer.

"I don't know," Ryan quietly said as they approached the building.

Frank ran from the building and clambered into his patrol car. He started his lights and sirens as a set of medics rushed from the building pushing a gurney with someone strapped to it, Horatio running along side it.

"Oh my god, Ryan," Calleigh quietly said, "I think that's Jessica."

Ryan felt the color drain from his face before he bolted towards Jessica. He watched as the paramedics lifted her into the ambulance. He watched Horatio turn and look towards the building.

"Eric!" he yelled, "Eric Delko, you stay with that baby! Don't let him out of your sight!"

"Got it, H!" Eric yelled as he leapt into the other ambulance.

Ryan stopped just outside the ambulance and fought his way against the barrier of bodies.

"Let me through!" he yelled, "That's my girlfriend!"

"I'm sorry, sir," the paramedic told him, "but only one person can ride with her."

"Jessica!" Ryan cried out, reaching towards her.

"Dade Memorial!" Horatio yelled to Ryan. "Meet us there, Ryan!"

The doors slammed in his face and Ryan watched as the ambulance drove away, Frank leading the way with his sirens blaring. The second ambulance sped after them and Ryan was left standing there alone.

Tom was suddenly at his side, touching his shoulder. Ryan looked at him, tears forming in his eyes.

"What happened?" he asked him, "What's wrong with Jessica?"

Tom squeezed his shoulder and sighed. "Jessica went into labor," he quietly said.

Ryan's eyes grew huge with fright. "What? No, it's not time!"

"Ryan," Tom said, "Listen to me. Something happened and Jessica went into early labor." He looked directly into Ryan's eyes. "She gave birth in the morgue. That was your baby in the other ambulance."

Ryan felt like his heart had stopped and restarted with a thud. Tears streamed down his face as he looked towards the road.

"Go Ryan!" Calleigh said.

"Go where?" Ryan quietly asked confused.

"Follow them!" Calleigh ordered, pushing him towards the Hummer. "Turn on the lights and sirens and you can get there twice as fast! Go now! Your girlfriend and son need you!"

Nothing was registering in Ryan's brain as Calleigh shoved him into the Hummer driver seat. She jammed the keys into the ignition and started the car herself.

"Damn it, Ryan, drive!" she yelled as she slammed the door.

Everything rushed to Ryan in a flood. He threw the Hummer into drive and sped off. Calleigh watched as the lights began flashing and the sirens crying out to all to move out of the way.

Calleigh felt sudden tears flood to her eyes and covered her mouth as her entire body began to shake. Tom walked up and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Is he ok?" she quietly asked.

Tom nodded his head. "A health little boy, just five weeks early," he quietly responded.

Calleigh brushed the tears from her cheeks as relief settled in her. "Good," she whispered.


	4. Decisions to be Made

Decisions to be Made

* * *

The sirens wailed and the road seemed impossibly bumpy. Jessica fought to keep her eyes open. She looked up at her father, the light from the ambulance glaring behind his head. He spoke quietly and stroked her hair, reassuring Jessica she was going to be ok.

Her head pounded from her overworked heart. She could feel how high her blood pressure was. Many hands reached under her skirt and she tried to fight them off. Horatio held both her hands in his own and shook his head. She couldn't hear his words over the sound of rushing blood in her ears.

She could barely make out the words of the medics. They were saying something about blood loss. At least that's what she thought she heard. Everything hurt and she didn't know where they had taken her son. He had been in her arms just a minute ago. Now he was gone and no one would tell her where he was. He was too little to be on his own. He needed his mother.

Jessica looked at the man with brown hair that seemed to appear from nowhere. He stood behind her father and smiled down at her. His hand brushed against her forehead and carefully closed her eyes.

"You need to rest now, Jessie," Jesse Cardoza quietly said to her. "The doctors will take good care of you and Oliver."

* * *

Ryan rushed through the halls of the hospital. Someone had told him Jessica was in the trauma center on level three. He couldn't find Horatio and he began to panic. Finally a nurse sat him down in a chair and brought him a cup of coffee. Ryan dropped the Styrofoam cup when he saw Horatio walk into the waiting room, his suit jacket draped over one arm and the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to his elbows. He sat in a chair and set the cup of orange juice in his hand on the table and bit into an Oreo.

"Do you know what they give you for donating blood, Mr. Wolfe?" Horatio asked Ryan as he approached, his mouth still full of cookie. Ryan slowly shook his head, unable to make words, but noticing the bandage wrapped around Horatio's left elbow. "They give you two cookies and a cup of orange juice. In my opinion, that's bullshit. I think they should give me a steak or something else to help replenish the red blood cells."

Ryan laughed and sat next to Horatio. He was silent for a moment before he found his voice again. "How is she?"

Horatio sighed and stared down at his cup. "Alive, weak but alive," he quietly said. "She lost a lot of blood, she needed a transfusion now."

"Is that why you gave blood?" Ryan whispered.

Horatio nodded his head. "She needed it so I gave it to her because it's the only thing I can do for my daughter right now."

"Is she going to make it?" Ryan quietly asked.

Horatio silently stared at the floor, his heart heavy. "If she doesn't," he quietly said, "I don't know what I'll do."

* * *

Alexx rushed into the waiting room. She found them huddled together on the couch, just like she knew she would. She stood before them and Ryan and Horatio looked up at her with grief stricken eyes.

"Horatio," she quietly said, "I need to ask you something."

"What is it, Alexx?" Horatio asked as he stood.

"Jessica's uterus," she softly said, "It's been torn in several places. It's worse than before. It's in pieces and part of it was delivered with the placenta." She looked at him with saddened eyes. "We can put it back together, but it's going to be painful for her. She'll experience a lot of pain, horrid menstrual cycles, and I doubt she'll ever be able to carry another baby full term. She'll eventually have to have a hysterectomy, maybe even within the next year. To proceed any further I need consent to operate. Jessie Bug can't tell me herself so I need someone to speak for her."

Horatio looked at her as the realization of her words played over him. "What are our options?"

"I think it's best to have the hysterectomy now," Alexx said. "It'll save her a lot of pain and grief."

Horatio turned and looked at where Ryan was still sitting on the couch. He looked up at Horatio with a tear streaked face.

"What do you want, Ryan?" he asked him.

Ryan slowly stood and continued to stare at him. "What do you mean, H?"

"This isn't just my daughter," Horatio quietly said to him, "It's your future wife. What do you want to do for her?"

Ryan thought it over, his mind whirling. If they removed Jessica's uterus she would never be able to bear children, but at the same time fixing it would cause her pain, the one thing Ryan never wanted for her.

"Ryan?" Horatio quietly prompted.

"Take it out," Ryan whispered so quietly it felt like the words hadn't left his lips.

"Are you sure, Ryan?" Alexx asked him.

"Yes," he whispered, "I don't want her to suffer. Just take it out. It's the lesser of two evils."

Alexx gently grasped his hand reassuringly. She gave him a hopeful smile and nodded her head. "Alright, if this is what you want."

Ryan felt his entire body shake as he sat back down on the couch. He held his head in his hands and tried to take in deep breaths as the feeling of panic swept through him. Horatio sat next to him and rubbed his back.

"It's not the end of the world," he quietly whispered.

Ryan slowly nodded his head. "But if she dies it's the end of my world."

* * *

Several hours had passed by, she knew that much. She watched the lights flash by as she was rolled down the hall of the hospital. She listened to the click-click of the wheels on the gurney as it rolled across the smooth tile floor. Everything seems blurry, but she knew Alexx was standing next to her bed, holding her hand, reassuring Jessica she was alive.

* * *

Ryan quietly walked into the hospital room. Her bed was propped up and she looked out the window with hazy eyes. Her body seemed smaller and more fragile and she was extremely pale. Several IV bags dripped with gravity into the tubes that were connected to her arm. She looked at him as he walked into the room and smiled, her blue eyes still full of life. Ryan walked to her side. He hesitated but leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"Hey Jessie love," he whispered to her. "How are you feeling?"

Jessica looked at him and returned the smile with a weak one of her own. "It hurts," she whispered. "My body hurts everywhere."

"What's the major damage?" Ryan quietly asked, seemingly afraid that his voice alone would shatter her frail body.

"I have twenty stitches on the exterior of my body and several more piecing tears inside my birth canal and cervix together. I have another two liters of Horatio's blood in me and I'm on antibiotics and pain killers." Jessica was silent for a moment before she spoke again. "My uterus is gone."

Ryan held her hand and sat on the edge of her bed. "I know," he whispered, "I'm sorry, love."

"Alexx told me you consented to have it removed," she said. Ryan couldn't place the emotion in her voice. She didn't sound angry or sad, just…disappointed.

"I'm sorry, Jessica," he said as tears began to pool in his eyes. "Alexx told me how much pain you would have been in if they put it back together one more time. She said it would be painful and useless. I know it's not what you would have wanted but I couldn't stand the thought of putting you through anymore pain."

"It's ok, Ryan," she quietly said, "I'm just not that happy about the decision. I'm not mad at you, at all. It's just a little upsetting that I can't have children anymore."

Ryan slowly leaned in and gently kissed her. "Please don't hate me," he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Jessica reached up and gently brushed the tear away. "I don't hate you at all," she whispered in response. "I'll get over it. I'm just saddened that this happened. I still love you no matter what crazy decisions you make for me while I'm unconscious."

Ryan smiled at her and leaned his head on her shoulder. "I love you, Jessica," he whispered.

Jessica lifted his head gently in her hands and looked at the man she loved.

"Oliver," she said in a soft voice.

"Oliver?" Ryan responded, confused by the sudden declaration.

"Yes, Oliver David Wolfe," Jessica said, "That's what I want to name our son."

"Our son?"  
"Well yeah, if I could make a baby on my own what would I have you here for?" Jessica joked, smiling weakly at him.

"We have a son," Ryan said. He hadn't even thought of the baby yet. He was so worried about Jessica that he completely forgot about the fact that Jessica had given birth in the morgue, resulting in an infant that was lying in a bed just two floors above them.

"Yeah, didn't anyone tell you it's a boy?" Jessica asked, bringing Ryan back to reality.

"No." Ryan was still stunned.

"Oliver," Jessica said again after a moment of silence.

"Oliver," Ryan repeated the name. "Oliver David Wolfe." Ryan pondered the name some more. "Not Caine?"

"It's your baby, too," Jessica said, tears slowly forming in her eyes, "I just thought you would like him to have your last name so we didn't have to change his…" The tears became too much and Jessica began to cry silently. She turned her head so Ryan couldn't see her.

Ryan didn't know what was making Jessica cry, but then he quickly understood. Jessica wanted to give the baby his last name so that way when they got married they didn't have to change his name, too. Jessica didn't know that Ryan was planning on proposing to her. Maybe he shouldn't have waited until after the baby was born to ask her.

Ryan gently wrapped his arms around her slender shoulders and held her.

"Oliver David Wolfe," he whispered, "Sounds like a great name to me."

* * *

Ryan stood in front of the windows to the nursery. He looked over all the babies until he found the one he was looking for. An index card was taped to the side that said "Caine- Boy." Ryan looked at the baby inside the NICU box.

He had heart monitors attached to his chest and a feeding tube going down his throat. Eric was standing next to the baby with his hand through one of the openings. He was wearing a surgical gown over his clothes and had a mask on. The baby had his hand wrapped tightly around Eric's finger and Ryan could tell that Eric was smiling an ear to ear grin. A nurse came up and asked Eric a question and he shook his head no.

Horatio walked up next to Ryan quietly. "You found him, didn't you?" Ryan nodded his head. "It's an incredible feeling finding out you're a father." Horatio said, "Even though Kyle was sixteen it still amazed me that I created that young boy."

Eric looked up at the window and saw Ryan and Horatio. He said something to the nurse and pointed to Ryan. The nurse walked out of the nursery and into the hall.

"Mr. Wolfe," she said, "Would you like to meet your son?"

Ryan stood there, blinking back tears, and nodded his head. He turned and walked towards the door. He stopped and turned back towards Horatio.

"Well," Ryan said, "Aren't you going to come and meet your grandson?"

Horatio's heart fluttered and he smiled at Ryan. He walked towards the younger man and nurse.

Horatio and Ryan had to scrub up and had surgical gowns placed over their clothing. They were each given a mask. They were informed it was just a precaution because the baby was premature and born in a morgue, and the doctors didn't know how that would affect his immune system. They entered the nursery and approached the baby.

Eric had removed his arm and another nurse was opening the NICU box. She detached some of the monitors and removed the feeding tube. She wrapped the baby in a blanket and walked over to Ryan. "Hold out your arms," she said. Ryan did as he was told and the nurse placed the small child into his arms.

Ryan stood there terrified. He was so afraid he was going to drop the small baby. His body felt so fragile in Ryan's arms. He yawned a huge, wide yawn and made a small whimpering noise.

Horatio chuckled at Ryan.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"You face dangerous criminals every day, have been shot at numerous times, had a nail shot into your eye, went to jail, survived small pox, and have been on location when at least five crime scenes have either burst into flames or exploded in the last year alone," Horatio said, "and here you are terrified of a baby."

Ryan shook his head. "Or maybe I'm terrified of dropping him. He's so small and delicate, I'm afraid I'll hurt him."

The baby slowly opened his eyes and looked up at his father. Ryan gasped as he saw the deep ocean blue of his eyes.

"That's strange," the nurse said, "He shouldn't be able to do that yet, open his eyes, especially being premature."

Ryan looked at the small baby and then at Horatio. "Well it looks like he got a little bit of his grandfather in him; determination and big blue eyes."

Horatio looked over Ryan's shoulder to see his grandson's matching blue eyes. The baby slowly closed his eyes again and snuggled into his father.

Ryan turned to Horatio. "Do you want to hold him?"  
Horatio slowly nodded his head. The nurse passed the baby from Ryan to Horatio. Horatio held his first grandchild securely in his arms. He looked at the small being and felt tears form in his eyes.

"My turn!" Eric declared, holding out his arms.

"I thought you already had a turn," Ryan said.

"Nope, I wanted you to be the first one to hold him." Eric said to Ryan, "Jessica got the chance to hold him in the morgue so I felt it was only necessary that you held him second; besides the doctors of course."

The nurse passed the baby to Eric and Ryan watched his best friend's eyes light up. Eric chuckled. "Huh, essence of Ryan and Jessica," he smiled.

The nurse placed the baby back into the NICU box, replaced all the monitors, and closed the lid.

Another nurse approached the three. "Mr. Wolfe, we need you to fill out the name for the birth certificate and make sure all the information is correct on the paperwork."

"Alright," Ryan responded.

Ryan, Horatio, and Eric were led out of the nursery. Their gowns were discarded in the bins in the wash room. They continued on to the front desk for the Neonatal Care floor. The nurse handed Ryan the paperwork.

Ryan looked over the spelling of his name and Jessica's and the rest of their information. He then started filling out the name.

Under first name he wrote "Oliver." Then under middle name he wrote "David." Finally he filled in the last name "Wolfe." Ryan stood there and read over the name. He couldn't help but feel that something was missing.

"Oliver David Wolfe," Horatio read over Ryan's shoulder, "That's a fine name." He smiled at Ryan and suddenly Ryan knew what was missing.

Ryan skipped back to the middle name and wrote in "Horatio."

Horatio looked at Ryan. "Is that what Jessica wanted?" he asked.

"No," Ryan said, "but it's what I want, and I know she won't object." Horatio smiled at Ryan.

"Oliver David Horatio Wolfe," Eric read, "Sounds like a damn good name to me."

The three men walked back to the elevator. They were going to pay a visit to Jessica before leaving. Ryan looked at Eric.

"Eric," he said, "I haven't asked Jessica yet but I don't think she'll mind, but would you be the Godfather of our son? I mean, if you hadn't been there I don't know what would have happened to him. I don't know if Tom could have delivered the baby all on his own. And you stayed with him and watched over him while he was transported to the hospital. I can't think of anyone that I would trust more with the life of my son."

Eric smiled a huge ear to ear grin. "Ryan, I would love to be your son's Godfather!"

Ryan smiled and hugged his best friend. "Thank you! I owe so much to you for the life of my son!"

"Hey, you would have done the same for me." Eric said, "And he does have a name now, so you better use it."

Ryan chuckled. "Yup, Oliver." he said, "Oliver David Horatio Wolfe."

* * *

Greg Sanders awoke to his phone ringing. He blindly reached for it and fumbled when he found it on the nightstand. "Sanders," he mumbled into the receiver.

"Greg, its Ryan," the voice on the other end said.

Greg sat up, wide awake at the sound of Ryan's pained voice. "Ryan, what's wrong?" he asked, "You sound like you're hurt. Is everything ok?"

"Greg," Ryan practically whispered, "its Jessica."

"Jessica?" Greg repeated, "What's wrong with Jessica? Is she alright?"

"Jessica's going to be just fine," Ryan said. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "And so is our son."

"Your son?" Greg asked confused.

"Greg, Jessica went into labor five weeks early yesterday," Ryan quietly explained in a timid voice. "Our son was born yesterday in the Miami Dade morgue."

Greg felt his heart skip a beat. He was suddenly beyond excited and couldn't believe what Ryan was telling him. "Oh my god, Jessica delivered your son in the morgue yesterday?"

"Yes," Ryan said as his voice cracked, "A little, healthy baby boy, just a few weeks early." Greg listened as Ryan began to quietly cry. "He's so beautiful Greg," he finally managed. "We have a son and he's perfect in every way."

Greg smiled and chuckled lightly as he laid back down in his bed. "Well congratulations, Big Daddy," he chuckled, "It's a boy."

"Thanks Greg," Ryan quietly said. "I'm sorry I woke you up, but I just had to tell you."

"Its ok buddy," Greg smiled as he settled back into bed, "I'm glad you called me. Have you told Nick or anyone else from Vegas?"

"Not yet," Ryan replied, "I haven't gotten around to calling people, but Nick's next on my list, along with the rest of Vegas, and then Abby and McGee and Gibbs and everyone at NCIS, because I figure they would want to know, too."

Greg sighed and closed his eyes. "Yeah, I think especially Abby will be excited."

"Thanks for taking care of them, G," Ryan said. "Thank you for watching over Jessica and Oliver."

Greg smiled to himself. "You're welcome," he quietly said, "Jessica told me about her past and I wanted to make sure your baby stayed safe."

"You did a great job, Greg," Ryan told him. "But I have to ask, can I open the packages you sent me now? Oliver's going to need somewhere to sleep and some clothes to wear."

Greg chuckled and rolled onto his side. "How about this- you let me go back to sleep so I can get some rest before my shift starts and I'll let you open your presents from Jessica's baby shower."

Ryan chuckled and smiled. "Alright, agreed."

Greg smiled as he felt himself drift closer to sleep. "I have to go, Ryan, its sleeping time for Greg."

"Alright, Greg, you get some rest and I'm going to go visit my girlfriend and our little boy."


	5. The Godfather Dilemma

**I couldn't think of a better title for this one. :\**

* * *

The Godfather Dilemma

* * *

Jessica smiled contently to herself as she breast feed her son for the first time. He was small and delicate but still strong. His hands pushed against her chest as he suckled in heaving gulps.

"You'd think the little guy hasn't eaten in forever," she chuckled as the nurse took the baby while Jessica fixed her hospital gown.

"Well he didn't seem too partial to the baby formal we gave him yesterday," the nurse explained as she patted Oliver on the back, "Kept pulling the feeding tube right out of his throat. I think he just likes Mom's cooking better."

"Just like his father," Tom said as he walked into Jessica's room. He smiled at her and leaned down to hug her. "How are you doing today, Jess?" he asked her.

"Better," Jessica said, "I feel like I dropped fifteen pounds overnight though."

Tom chuckled. "Well you look like you lost fifteen pounds overnight." He looked at Oliver and smiled. "And here's about six of it."

Jessica giggled and leaned back against her pillow. "So what have you got there?" she asked, indicating the manila envelope in Tom's hand.

Tom smiled and pulled something out of the envelope. "The hospital called me this morning and said they needed me to come in and sign this." He handed the paper to Jessica and she smiled at the sight of her son's birth certificate. "The physician that delivered the baby is supposed to sign it," Tom explained.

"Even if the delivering physician is a Medical Examiner?" Jessica smiled.

"Yes, even if it's in a morgue," Tom said. "Which is listed under location," he quickly added.

Jessica read over her son's official birth certificate and smiled to herself. She stopped and her brow furred as she read over Oliver's name again.

"Oliver David Horatio Wolfe," she quietly read aloud.

"I think it's a respectable name," Tom commented.

"But it's not the name I picked," Jessica quietly said.

Tom looked at her surprised. "What did you pick?"

"Oliver David Wolfe," Jessica answered.

"So Ryan added Horatio?" Tom inquired.

"Yeah, I guess he did." A small smile crept across Jessica's face and her heart warmed. "You know, I think I like this name better though." She handed the birth certificate back to Tom and held out her arms for her son. The nurse placed the small baby in her arms and Jessica smiled at him. "Hello Oliver David Horatio Wolfe," she quietly said, "It's good to finally meet you when you're not pounding against my ribs."

Tom stared at the birth certificate he signed. "It seems weird," he quietly said. "Every other certificate I've ever signed was for death. It seems weird to be standing here signing a birth certificate for once."

"Why's that, Dr. Tom?" Jessica asked as she cradled her son in her arms.

"Because I gave up with the idea of working in neonatal care," Tom explained, "At John Hopkins they made every resident work in the NICU. We each had to deliver two babies, with the assistance of a professional doctor. Both times the babies died during labor because I couldn't get it right. The other residents started calling me 007, because of my inability to keep a baby alive. That's when I looked into forensic pathology. I figured if my patients were already dead it wouldn't matter. I gave up my dream of becoming a real doctor because I was terrified of killing people."

Tom looked at Oliver's sleeping face and smiled. "But thanks to Oliver I realized I'm not such a loser after all."

"Are you going to go back to school and practice medicine now?" Jessica quietly inquired.

Tom shook his head. "No, I like being a medical examiner. It was just nice to have a live patient for once."

Jessica smiled and held her son close to her chest. "Well I'm glad we could help."

* * *

Ryan smiled as he walked into the hospital room to find Jessica sitting in bed with their son in her arms. He sat on the edge of her bed and looked at Oliver's tiny face.

"He's so perfect," he whispered. Jessica smiled and looked up at him. Ryan returned the smile and leaned down to kiss her. "Just like you," he whispered to her.

"So, I hear you didn't like the name I picked," Jessica said with a smirk.

Ryan chuckled and shook his head. "I didn't say I didn't like it," he defended, "I just felt that something was missing."

"Oliver David Horatio Wolfe," she said, "I like it."

"Good, because I hear it's really hard to change something once it's on the birth certificate," Ryan chuckled. "Can I hold him?"

Jessica smiled and carefully transferred their son into Ryan's arms. Ryan looked down at his son and held him as close as he could.

"I also heard that you've already decided on a Godfather without me," Jessica said. Ryan looked at her and could sense the disappointment in her eyes.

"Yeah, I asked Eric," he quietly said. "Is there something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine," Jessica quietly said, but Ryan could detect the discontent in her voice.

"You wanted someone else, didn't you?" Ryan quietly asked her.

Jessica shook her head and held back the tears that threatened to fall. "No, it's fine. Eric's your best friend and he was there when I delivered. It seems like a natural choice."

"Who did you want?" Ryan asked her after several moments of silence.

"It's not important."

"Yes it is. It's important to you."

Jessica looked out the window and tried her hardest not to cry. "I wanted Greg Sanders," she practically whispered. "He was there for me and Oliver for most of my pregnancy. He protected me and saved both of our lives." She looked at Ryan with her sad blue eyes. "He even saved your life."

Ryan held his son close and felt his heart hurt. "We can change it," he quietly said, "I'm sure Eric won't mind."

"No, don't take this opportunity from Eric," Jessica said, shaking her head. "I just wish you had asked me first, that's all."

Ryan leaned down and gently kissed her cheek. "I'm sorry, Jess," he whispered. Jessica felt a few tears fall onto her neck and realized Ryan was crying.

* * *

Ryan continued to open boxes and smiled as he found more and more baby boy clothes and toys. He laid out the bedding on Oliver's crib and set out a few stuffed animals they had received as gifts. He packed clothes away into the dresser of the guest bedroom that would soon become Oliver's bedroom, once Ryan and Jessica got around to renovating and redecorating it. He hung the name plaque from Sara Sidle on the wall and read over the message on the back, smiling to himself.

Ryan picked up a tiny shirt with the periodic table of elements on it and smiled, knowing it had to be from Greg. Inside it he found a picture frame with a picture of Jessica and Greg together. They were standing in front of Oliver's crib in Greg's guest bedroom, their backs to the camera as they looked over the crib.

Ryan smiled to himself and knew what he had to do.

* * *

Greg looked at his phone as he made his way out of his apartment to head to work. He was surprised to see Ryan's number.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?" he answered as he climbed into his car.

"Greg, there's something I need to ask you," Ryan said. He took a deep breath and was silent for a moment. "I already asked my friend Eric Delko, but Jessica got upset with me that I asked him without consulting with her first, because it turns out she wanted you, and I feel terrible about doing this to her."

Greg was baffled by Ryan's rambling. "Ok…what are you trying to ask me?"

Ryan sighed and Greg could sense his tension. "Sorry, I just got really nervous over nothing there," he muttered. "What I'm trying to ask you is if you would be our son's Godfather. Eric's already his Godfather but Jessica wanted you to be his Godfather, because you took care of both Jessica and Oliver while she was in Vegas. She's kind of mad at me for not consulting with her about the matter first so I'm trying to fix it the only way I can, and I figure why can't a kid have two Godfathers? So would you, Greg? Would you be Oliver's other Godfather?"

Greg smiled an ear to ear grin. "Of course! I would love to be Oliver's Godfather!"

Ryan smiled and sighed in relief. "Good, because I think Jess is currently debating on making me move out right now because of this whole ordeal."

Greg laughed and stopped at a traffic light. "Must have been some serious shit."

"Yeah, I'm surprised she didn't kick me in the face. Well actually I'm not surprised because she can't really move much right now."

"How is she?" Greg inquired.

"Sore, very sore. Major ripping from Oliver's fat head forcing it's way out. She's going to be out for the count for awhile. No sexual activity for at least a month either. She's kind of like ground zero right now." Ryan paused for a moment. "She also doesn't have a uterus anymore."

"What happened?" Greg asked.

"The scars that were running along her uterus from where James ripped out her babies when she was a teenager split," Ryan explained. "A large hole was torn in the lining of her uterus and eventually detached the placenta. Oliver was suffocating and he just seemed to push his way out. Dr. Tom showed me pictures his lab assistants took and video documentation and you can see handprints all along Jessica's abdomen, and there are holes in the placenta where Oliver's fingers popped through. It's like he forced his way out. He knew he was going to die."

"That's crazy," Greg said as he pulled into the LVPD parking structure. "That's one smart kid you've got on your hands there, Ryan."

"Yeah, I'm just hoping he doesn't take after his mother too much," Ryan chuckled. "Some of the things Horatio told me Jessica did as a kid; I don't think I want my son doing that."

"So when are you popping the question?" Greg inquired.

Ryan chuckled. "Soon, very soon. I think Jess knows its coming but she doesn't want to admit it."

Greg smiled as he walked into his building. "Well I hope she's still surprised when it happens. Let me know when you do it so I can call her and congratulate you two."

Ryan smiled and sat down on the guest bedroom bed. He looked at the picture of Greg and Jessica together and felt his heart warm with joy.

"Yeah, I'll definitely do that, bro."

* * *

Jessica looked up to see Ryan walking into her hospital room again. She looked back down at her son as he suckled and she stroked his head. Ryan sat on the edge of the bed silently and waited. Oliver finished his feeding fest and Jessica began burping him, still avoiding Ryan's gaze.

"I called Greg," Ryan whispered after several silent minutes.

Jessica looked up at him surprised. "Why?" she asked as she continued to thump baby Oliver on the back.

"Because I had to make it right," Ryan whispered again. He reached over and carefully closed Jessica's hospital gown for her. "I screwed up and I needed to fix what I did." He was silent again and stared down at the sheets on the bed. Finally he brought his face back up to Jessica's. "I asked him to be Oliver's Godfather."

"What about Eric?" Jessica inquired.

"I talked to him, too." Ryan explained, "He's willing to be Oliver's immediate Godfather. If anything happens to either of us he's to take care of our baby, but Greg's the one who'll get custody of Oliver."

"Is Eric ok with that?" Jessica asked him.

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know," he whispered, "but he said he was. He understands why I made the decision I did." Ryan chuckled lightly. "He called me a dumbass for not consulting with you first."

Jessica smiled at him and gently grasped his hand where it was resting on the bed. He squeezed her hand and looked lovingly into her eyes.

"You're amazing," he whispered as tears formed in his eyes. "I love everything about you."

Jessica smiled and carefully placed Oliver in Ryan's arms. "And I love you," she whispered, "Even if you do make snap decisions sometimes."

Ryan chuckled and gently stroked his son's cheek. "Which includes deciding to love you," he quietly said as he looked up at her.

* * *

Lucy scrambled to meet Jessica as she walked through the door. Her tail wagged furiously and she licked Jessica's face as she petted her.

"I take it Ryan's not the only one who missed me," she chuckled as she scratched the dog's belly.

"But I bet I missed you more," Ryan said, pulling her into his arms. He kissed her and held her close. His heart thudded and for a moment he almost pulled the ring out of his pocket. But he stopped himself. The timing wasn't right. He couldn't bring himself to do it just yet.

Jessica kissed him again and it left Ryan breathless.

"Quit thinking so much," she whispered to him. "I'm home so let's enjoy ourselves," slipping her hands into his back pockets.

Ryan smiled at her and gently kissed her. "But I thought Alexx said no sex," he quietly said.

"Well last time I checked," Jessica said, pulling at his hands, leading him towards the stairs, "Your tongue is significantly smaller than your penis."

Ryan chuckled allowed her to pull him along. "Ok, you win there," he said with a smirk.


	6. May Day

**Going out of town for the holidays. Have a great winter everyone!  
**

**Reference to the season finale of season nine and beginning of season ten. Not going to lie, I was legit scared Horatio was going to die.**

* * *

May Day

* * *

Jessica beamed as the neonatal care nurse handed her the small Oliver. After almost three weeks it was finally time for Oliver to head home. Jessica smiled and listened carefully to everything the nurse was telling her.

"Everything seems to be going well with him," the nurse continued. "He sleeps through the night and doesn't have any major complications eating. He does have a bit of a problem with colic, though. Poor thing wakes up screaming sometimes with a bellyache."

"Is that normal?" Jessica asked a little concerned.

"In his case yes, because he's a preemie he's going to have a few issues," the nurse explained, "but luckily colic is pretty simple. Other than that, you're good to go with your little boy."

Jessica smiled down at her son and then looked back at the nurse. "Thank you, Becky," she quietly said, "Thank you so much for looking after my son all these weeks."

The nurse named Becky smiled back at her. "It wasn't a problem, Dr. Caine. He was a joy to have."

Jessica had just pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex when her phone rang. She smiled at the sight of Ryan's number.

"Well hello, Daddy," she smiled as she climbed from her car, "How's work?"

"Jessica," Ryan said breathlessly, "You need to come to the hospital. Horatio's been shot."

* * *

Jessica paced the hospital waiting room, her small son sleeping soundlessly in his car seat on the couch. She was alone and no one could seem to tell her where her father was or where her boyfriend disappeared to. After almost an hour Ryan was led through a door by a nurse. He was pale and kind of shaky.

"Ryan!" Jessica exclaimed as she ran to him.

The nurse set Ryan down in a chair and he looked up at Jessica. "That really sucked," he quietly said.

"What did?" Jessica asked confused, gently caressing his face.

"Lieutenant Caine lost too much blood," the nurse explained, "And he was still weak from the blood transfusion three weeks ago, not to mention he ran around all day injured. He needed blood but we were out of type O."

"What does that have to do with Ryan?" Jessica quickly interrupted.

"Horatio and I are the same blood type," Ryan quietly said.

Jessica stared at him and for the first time noticed the bandage wrapped around Ryan's right elbow. "You gave Horatio blood?" she quietly said.

Ryan nodded his head and leaned forward on his knees. "They said he might not make it if he didn't get at least two liters of blood. I had to do it. I couldn't let him die."

Jessica dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Ryan as tears streamed down her face.

"Oh god, thank you, Ryan!" she cried.

Ryan gently held her and kissed her cheek. "You always say you love me more than anyone in this world. Every time you say that I always think about how wrong you are."

Jessica looked up at him with her tear streaked face. "What do you mean?"

"You love Horatio more than you love me," Ryan quietly said, "but that's how it should be. Horatio's your father, I'm just the boyfriend. I couldn't let Horatio die, not when I'm standing here alive and well, able to give him the one thing that will keep him alive. I can't do that to him. I can't do that to you."

Jessica began sobbing again. She rested her head in his lap and cried as Ryan stroked her hair.

"That's where you were," she quietly said. "I couldn't find you when I first got here because you were donating blood."

"More like passing out," the nurse chuckled.

Jessica couldn't help but laugh as she looked at Ryan's embarrassed face.

"Hey, two liters is a lot of blood," he quietly muttered.

Jessica smiled and kissed his knuckles. "Two liters of blood is what kept my father alive."

* * *

Horatio groaned and tried to touch his abdomen but the nurse stopped him.

"You can't touch your stitches right now, Lieutenant," she sternly said.

"But it hurts," he whined.

"Geez, give him more drugs," Jessica chuckled as she walked in. "He sounds like a twelve year old."

Horatio smiled at her as she walked over and sat on the edge of his bed. She scooped Oliver out of his car seat and carefully placed him in Horatio's arms. Horatio smiled down at his grandson and held him close.

"How are you feeling, Dad?" Jessica asked him.

Horatio stroked Oliver's thick head of hair and smiled contently. "Tired, sore, and kind of hungry but they said no food for at least three more hours."

Jessica smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek. "Good," she whispered. She looked into his eyes as small tears formed in her eyes. "No more close calls, Dad," she quietly said. "Wear the damn vest already."

Horatio chuckled and held his grandson a little closer. "I'll be fine."

"Dad," Jessica said in a stern voice, "Please, wear a Kevlar vest every once in awhile. Just humor me. Ryan isn't always going to be readily accessible every time you need a transfusion."

"Ryan?" Horatio said, "What does he have to do with anything?"

"Ryan's one of the reasons you're alive," Jessica softly explained. "You needed blood. You and Ryan share a blood type. He donated two liters to keep you alive."

Horatio looked at her astonished. "Ryan gave me blood?"

"Yeah Dad," Jessica quietly said.

"Where is he?" Horatio asked, shifting Oliver in his arms.

Jessica giggled softly. "Out in the lobby, passed out on the couch," she said.

"He's asleep?"

"No, he actually passed out," Jessica laughed, "Apparently giving blood isn't for Ryan."

Horatio laughed and smiled at his daughter. "You've got to toughen him up, Bug," he said. "You can't marry a softy."

"Now who said he was a softy?" Jessica smiled at him. "Maybe I like him just the way he is."

Horatio smiled at her and sighed. "You know I kind of figured you'd say something like that. You always were like your mother- tough as nails."

"Are you saying she also went for softies?" Jessica chuckled.

"Nope, not always, I was an exception."

Jessica giggled and leaned down to kiss his cheek again. "Always so modest," she whispered.

"Sorry about the terrible first Mother's Day for you, Bug," Horatio quietly said.

Jessica looked into his eyes and gently cupped her hand on his cheek. "It was the best," she whispered, "because you're still here to celebrate next year."

* * *

Ryan awoke to someone softly kissing the back of his neck. He opened one eye to see Jessica kneeling beside the couch he was laying on.

"Ready to go home, pumpkin?" she quietly asked.

"Only if I can make it to the car," Ryan said as he sat up, trying to regain his orientation.

"Don't worry, someone's coming with a wheelchair."

Ryan chuckled. "Normally I would object, but this time I think I'll take it."

* * *

Jessica massaged her father's shoulders and smiled to herself.

"Now what did we learn, Daddy?" she softly asked.

Horatio groaned as she rubbed the tension out of his shoulders. "If you get shot go to the hospital."

Jessica chuckled lightly and kissed the back of his neck. Horatio sighed and leaned his back against his daughter's chest. Jessica gently wrapped her arms around his torso and just held him as they sat together on Horatio's couch.

"So you ran around all day trying to catch some fugitive when you should have been resting in the hospital," Jessica quietly said.

Horatio smiled and leaned his head against hers. "Yes, I was stupid, but I just had to catch him."

"But next time it might be your life, Dad," Jessica whispered. "Please don't do it again. I don't care who it was running loose. You're the only family I've got left. If I had lost you…" her voice trailed off as tears formed in her eyes.

Horatio shifted and pulled Jessica into his arms. "I'm not your only family," he whispered as he held her gently. "You have Kyle, Eric, Yelina, and Ray Jr. You have your Uncle Pete back in Chicago and your grandparents in Ireland." He smiled as he kissed her neck just below her ear. "You have Oliver, too."

"But you're my Daddy," Jessica whispered. "You're the one I love the most. I can't stand the thought of you leaving me. Please, promise me, Dad, don't ever do something like that again. No fugitive is worth your life."

"Not even James?" Horatio said so quietly Jessica almost didn't hear him.

Jessica pulled back from his hold and stared into his eyes, anger burning through her momentarily.

"No, not even that bastard," she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Bug," Horatio whispered, pulling her back against his chest. "I shouldn't have said that."

"But it's true," Jessica quietly said. "No goddamn bastard will ever be worth your life. I don't care if you catch a thousand guys like James. If you died while fighting to catch him…I don't know what I'd do."

Horatio gently held her face in his hands and looked deep into her eyes. Though they were blue now, he could still see the determination and strength of her mother within them. He leaned in and gently kissed her on the lips and held her as close to his body as he could.

"I promise, Jessie Bug," he quietly said, "I will _never_ do something like that again. I love you too much to risk leaving you for good."

Jessica snaked her arms around his body and buried her face into his neck.

"Please don't," she said almost inaudibly, "I've already lost one father in this lifetime."


	7. Mayflowers

Mayflowers

* * *

Jessica smiled and wrapped her arms around Ryan's torso as he carefully climbed on top of her in bed. She giggled as he kissed his way down her jaw line and along her neck.

"Good morning to you, too," she chuckled as his hands slipped inside her shirt.

"I just thought you'd like a little birthday surprise," Ryan said, rubbing his hips against hers. Jessica could feel his forming erection through their clothes.

"What makes you think I'm ready for this?" Jessica giggled as his hands wandered farther down her body. She gasped as his fingers slipped inside her and she quickly grew wetter.

"It's been a month since our son demolished your vag," Ryan said, "I figured you'd be ready by now."

"Well Alexx said take it slow," Jessica said as Ryan pulled off her clothes before working on his own. "Just be careful."

"I'll be as gently as a bull in a china shop," Ryan chuckled.

His lips locked onto hers and his fingers rubbed against her sweet spot. Jessica moaned and arched her back into his hand. Ryan slid down her body and Jessica gasped as his mouth made contact with her heated desire. She twisted her fingers through his hair and held his head in place as an intense orgasm swept through her body.

Ryan crawled back to her head and kissed her again, sliding his tongue around the inside of her mouth. Jessica wrapped her hand around his throbbing member and guided him to where she wanted him. Ryan had just pushed the head of his desire in when Oliver began to cry.

Jessica's face immediately flushed red and her hands clamped over her breasts. She looked at Ryan mortified. He was confused at first, but when he saw a small trickle run down beneath her right hand he understood.

Ryan stood from the bed, walked to the crib, and lifted his young son into his arms. Jessica had sat up on the bed and Ryan gently placed Oliver in her arms. He slid onto the bed behind her; with her back pressed against his chest as Jessica began to breast feed their son.

They sat there in silence for awhile; Oliver quietly feeding. Ryan wrapped his arms around her waist and just held her.

"You don't have to be embarrassed," he quietly whispered.

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Jessica muttered.

"Because you lactated when Oliver cried," Ryan said.

Jessica was quiet and Ryan could feel her body tense against his. "I thought you would think I was disgusting," she finally whispered.

Ryan kissed the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. "There is nothing disgusting about being a loving mother," he quietly said.

"Even if being a loving mother means having milk shoot out of my tits?" Jessica sarcastically asked.

Ryan chuckled and kissed her neck again. "No matter the water works, you'll always be beautiful to me."

Jessica smiled and leaned into him, finally allowing herself to melt into his touch. "You're such a hopeless romantic sometime."

"But you love me anyways," Ryan whispered. He scooped Oliver out of her arms and began to pat his back as he walked to the changing table next to his crib. Once Oliver burped, Ryan swiftly changed his diaper before laying him back in bed. He ran into the bathroom and washed his hands three times before he crawled back onto Jessica. He kissed her passionately and Jessica felt his hands moving against her body.

"Sorry," Ryan gasped, "I needed to work up back to where I was."

Jessica chuckled and wrapped her hand around his. Ryan groaned as she twisted her hand around his head and fondled his testicles.

"Don't worry," she seductively whispered, "I'll help."

Ryan groaned and leaned his head back as he began throbbing with desire. Jessica lined him back up and helped guide him in. She hissed in pain and Ryan stopped. He pulled out and grabbed a bottle of lube, slicked himself up, and resumed his intensions. Jessica moaned as he slowly slid inside her.

When he was buried up to the hilt he stopped and just looked into her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her torso and held her close to his chest. He closed his eyes and buried his face into her neck, just enjoying the way her body felt against his, how he felt complete every time.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear as he began slowly rocking his hips. "Just tell me if it hurts."

Jessica gasped softly and dug her nails into the skin of his shoulders. "Oh god, Ryan," she managed to quietly moan, spreading her legs farther apart.

"Does it hurt?" Ryan asked worried.

"Just a little," Jessica gasped, "Like being a virgin again."

Ryan smiled against her neck as he planted soft kisses against her skin. "I wasn't going to say it, but that's exactly what you feel like."

"Like you have that much experience with virgins," Jessica teased, raking her nails down his back.

"Not much, but I don't think I'll ever forget my first time with you." Ryan growled and nipped at her neck. "You were so tight and hot."

"You didn't even know I was a virgin," Jessica giggled.

"No, but damn, were you good, especially for a virgin," Ryan chuckled. He began thrusting just a little harder and moaned as pleasure swept through his body. "And now I'm going to pop your cherry again."

"Oh please do," Jessica moaned, arching her back against his body.

Ryan's thrusts were loving and gentle. He hit all the right places and Jessica moaned loudly with pleasure. Ryan leaned down and bit at her neck and collarbone as Jessica began to pant and scratch her nails in every direction on his body. Ryan's tongue explored her chest and he stopped to suck on her nipple. He suddenly gagged and coughed and screwed his face up in disgust.

"Oh god," he grimaced, "That was gross!"

"Your son doesn't think so," Jessica managed to chuckle between moans. "Besides, I thought you said you loved how I was a loving mother."

"I do, but I don't like breast milk!" Ryan said, his eyes screwed shut and tongue curling in his mouth.

Jessica laughed and rolled him over, sitting atop his hard desire. She began thrusting on top of him and moaned out in pleasure. "Well I don't like the taste of semen, if that makes us even."

Ryan chuckled and continued to thrust into her. "Hasn't your cherry been popped yet?" he asked as he drove himself deeper into her.

"I don't think so," Jessica panted. "Do I have to cum for that to happen?"

"I would think so," Ryan said, rolling over on top of her. "But I haven't cum either, so we're definitely not done here."

Ryan thrusted a little harder into her and Jessica gasped with each hit. Her toes curled and her body tingled as her heart began to pound.

"Oh god," she gasped, "Here it comes!"

"Good," Ryan strained, "Me too."

Their bodies shuddered against each other as they cried out each other's name. They laid together, tangled and naked in the sheets. Ryan leaned over and kissed the end of her nose.

"Happy Birthday, Jessie," he whispered.

Jessica smiled at him and cuddled closer. "Thanks Ryan," she whispered.

* * *

Horatio cradled his young grandson in his arms as he talked with his daughter. He smiled as Oliver opened his eyes and looked up at him.

"He's beautiful, Bug," he quietly said.

Jessica smiled and leaned into her father's shoulder. "With his Grandfather's beautiful blue eyes," she whispered.

"You like your eyes now?" Horatio quietly asked her.

Jessica sighed and felt pain form in her heart. "I hated them when they changed at first because I still wanted to be just like my mother. But once I became Jessica I learned to love them, because I wasn't Izzy anymore, I was Jessica."

Horatio smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I'm glad you like them," he whispered.

Horatio handed Oliver to Jessica as he began to fuss. "I'll be right back," he said, standing from the couch, handing her Oliver's small blanket to use to cover her chest.

Ryan smiled as he walked into the living room to find his girlfriend breast feeding their son.

"I swear the little guy eats all the time," Ryan chuckled as he sat next to her.

Jessica smiled and looked at him with a sly expression. "Kind of like his Daddy," she teased.

Ryan chuckled and kissed her cheek. "I love you so much," he whispered in her ear.

Horatio walked back into the room with a few papers in his hand.

"Well I have good news for you Jessica," he said.

"And what would that be?" Jessica asked, shifting her son in her arms.

"Well since you were on the clock for MDPD and you were at work when you gave birth all your hospital expenses have been covered by Workmen's Comp."

Jessica looked at him baffled. "Workmen's Comp is paying for everything?"

"The ambulance trip, emergency room fees, operation charges, medication, nursery care, and neonatal expenses," Horatio read off, "All paid in full."

Ryan took the papers from Horatio when he held them out. He held it between him and Jessica and they read over the forms.

"Shit," Ryan muttered, "We got a free baby."

Jessica chuckled and handed Oliver to Ryan as she began fixing her shirt. "Probably the only time a baby will be free. That's kind of crazy."

"Well I can assure you Internal Affairs had a hay day when I filled out the Workmen's Comp form," Horatio explained. "But once I made my case they were more than willing to help out anyway they could."

"I bet if Stetler was still there it wouldn't have been so easy," Jessica said.

"Yeah, especially with him trying to get me arrested for stealing evidence," Ryan said, rolling his eyes. He jumped in surprise when Oliver belched loudly. "Shit, must be your kid, Jess," he chuckled.

Jessica looked at the forms in her hands and smiled. "What a great birthday surprise," she said.

* * *

Jessica and Ryan laughed and smiled at each other as they ate their dinner in the restaurant.

"This is so good!" Jessica said as she continued to eat her food.

"That's the same thing you got on our first date," Ryan quietly said.

Jessica looked at him a little surprised. "You remember?"

Ryan flushed a little and he nodded his head. "Yeah, I don't know how, but I swear I can recall any detail from that night."

"Alright, what color were my shoes?" Jessica tested him.

"Blue, kind of a royal blue," Ryan answered, "Three inch heel, pumps."

Jessica laughed and shook her head. "Somehow I think that's the right answer."

Ryan smiled at her and his hand rested on his pocket, feeling the case inside.

They held hands and walked out to Ryan's car together, laughing the whole way.

"This is so similar," Jessica chuckled, leaning in to kiss him.

"I know, but yet it's so different," Ryan quietly said. He slipped his hand into his pocket and wrapped his fingers around the velvet case. His heart thudded and it felt as if there was a weight on his chest. His throat was dry and scratchy and his tongue felt thick with the question he was about to ask.

Jessica's phone rang and she pulled it out to see Horatio's number.

"Hey Dad," she said, "What's up?"

"Bug, Oliver keeps crying and I can't get him to stop."

"Well don't worry, we're on our way back to your house," Jessica said, opening her car door.

"Good, because I think the little guy's in pain or something and it's really starting to scare me," Horatio said.

"Just keep patting his back and try singing to him," Jessica instructed as Ryan pulled out onto the road. "He seems to really like singing."

"Alright, I'll give it a try, but please hurry. I'm really worried about him," Horatio said.

"Don't fret, Dad," Jessica encouraged, "We'll be there in like ten minutes."

Jessica hung up her phone and sighed. "I'm sorry, Ryan, were you trying to tell me something?"

Ryan continued to drive, staring straight ahead. "Don't worry," he quietly said, "It wasn't that important. Our son's more important than anything."

* * *

"I just don't understand, Jessica," Ryan said, pacing the kitchen. "We share a condo, bills, cars, insurance plan, cell phone bill, our dog, and we have a son together. Why don't you want to combine our bank accounts?"

"Because I'm not ready for that yet, Ryan," Jessica said as she continued to make their lunch.

"But it's not that hard," Ryan continued, "I mean we're already sharing all the expenses. Why not make it easier on ourselves?"

"I just can't make that decision yet, Ryan," Jessica said again. "It's too big a move, too permanent."

"Are you afraid I'm going to start gambling again and deplete our savings?" Ryan asked her.

Jessica stood there silently, continuing to cut up fresh peppers for salads.

"You do, don't you?" Ryan continued to question her.

"No Ryan, I don't," Jessica quietly said. "I'm just scared."

"Of what then?" Ryan asked her.

Tears formed in Jessica's eyes and slowly crawled down her cheeks. She set down her knife as her hands began to shake and began wiping the tears away.

"Oh Jessie, don't cry," Ryan quietly said, walking to her. He gently held her in his arms and rubbed her back. "What's wrong? Talk to me, I'll listen."

"It's just," Jessica said, her voice cracking slightly, "I had a boyfriend who I opened a bank account with and when we broke up I couldn't get to the bank fast enough and he took all my money."

"And you're afraid the same thing will happen again," Ryan quietly said.

Jessica nodded her head. "I can fight for a car or a house or a baby, but money doesn't have anyone's name on it. I was able to get my money back years later, hacking into his bank account, but I swore I would never have a bank account with another man until he was my husband."

Ryan held her close and kissed her forehead. The velvet case in his pocket seemed to weigh him down and he swore it had a heartbeat of its own.

"I think that's a good idea," he whispered.


	8. Just for the Afternoon

**As time goes on, I'm having a harder time thinking of good titles.**

* * *

Just for the Afternoon

* * *

Ryan looked over the scene confused. It was too clean.

"Someone's definitely cleaned up here," he commented as he continued to take pictures.

"That's for sure," Eric commented as he collected what little fibers were attached to the body.

"I feel a double shift coming on," Ryan muttered as he took a picture of a shoe print in the soil.

"A little sad about not getting to spend time with the wife and your son?" Eric chuckled.

"Yes and no," Ryan said, "I'm sad I don't get to see Jess and Oliver, but Jess isn't my wife."

"_Yet_," Eric said with a smirk. "How long have you been carrying that ring around now?"

"Just a few months," Ryan quietly said.

"Then why haven't you asked her?"

"I'm waiting for the right moment."

"Which is when?"

"Don't know," Ryan said, picking up his kit, "but I'll know it when I see it."

* * *

Tom tried to scrape under the victim's nails and was confused when he found nothing.

"That's odd," he commented as he tried the next nail, "Usually when someone cleans a body there's still trace evidence under the nails. Not many people think to check under the nail bed."

"What kind of person would think to look there?" Eric inquired.

"I don't know," Tom said, slightly baffled.

"I bet I know someone who could think of one," Ryan said as he dialed a number on his cell.

"Hey Ryan," Jessica's voice said on the other end, "What's up?"

"Hey Jess," Ryan said, "I've got a question for you."

"Alright, shoot," Jessica said, sounds of Oliver cooing playing in the background.

"We've got a DB that was cleaned and dumped," Ryan explained, "but when Tom checked under his nails he got nothing. What would compel a person to scrub under the nails of their victim?"

Jessica was silent for a moment as she thought it over. "Either someone who knew what they were doing or someone this was a habit of."

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.

"Would Rachael be at home about this time?"

"Yeah, I think so, why?"

"Because I think Oliver would like to spend a little time with his aunt."

* * *

Jessica walked into the morgue just thirty minutes later. She smiled to herself as she passed the section of the floor where her son had been born. She pulled on a pair of gloves while she walked up to the table with the mysterious dead body.

"Alright," she said, picking up the dead man's hand, "Not many murderers think to scrub under their victim's nails. Most likely this guy has either killed before and almost gotten caught so he makes sure to cover all his bases or he works in a profession where someone would frequently clean under their nails."

"Well there aren't many jobs involving clean nails," Eric commented.

"Have you run his prints through AFIS?" Jessica inquired, stepping up to a computer.

"Yeah, he came back as a John Smith," Tom said, looking over his file.

Jessica typed at the keyboard and smiled to herself. "Well it seems Mr. Smith did indeed work somewhere you'd need to clean under your nails."

"Where's that?" Ryan asked, walking up to the computer.

"Mama Senero's Pizza Parole," Jessica read. "When I was in college I worked at a restaurant in the kitchen and the owner always stressed having to scrub under our nails to make sure we got all the dirt, mostly because we had one cook who sucked at washing his hands so we all got to feel the wrath."

Ryan smiled as he leaned in closer to read the screen. "And he's been in a few tussles with a fellow coworker over the last year alone," he read.

"So you think someone at the pizza parole killed him?" Eric asked.

Jessica smiled and looked at him. "Who better to clean a body then someone whose food handler certified?"

* * *

"I don't know what you're talking about," Charlie Pell said as he walked through the kitchen, Ryan, Jessica, and Eric following him. "I haven't seen Smith in three days."

"Funny, because that's how long the evidence is suggesting he was dead," Jessica said.

"I didn't kill him, if that's what you're thinking," Pell snapped. "Besides what evidence do you have saying I did?"

"Clean nails," Jessica said, watching Pell scrub his hands.

"Clean nails?" Pell said confused.

"Yes, the victim was scrubbed clean, including under his nail bed," Eric said.

"So you think I off-ed him just because I keep my hands clean?" Pell asked as he grabbed a bag of lettuce. He tore it open and poured some into a large serving bowl. He grabbed a container from a shelf and dumped the rest of the bag in it before he began filling out a food label and sticking it onto the side of the container. "You know, there are a lot of other people who could have killed him who keep their hands clean."

"You dated this wrong," Jessica said, peeling the label off. "You wrote down it had to be used by the second, not the first."

"Oh hey, you're right," Pell said, filling out a new label. "Thanks, my boss would have ringed me out for dating that wrong."

"Not a problem," Jessica said, secretly slipping the label into a plastic bag.

"Well if you don't have anything saying I did it, I would appreciate it if you would leave so I can finish the lunch rush," Pell said, grabbing the serving bowl of lettuce.

"We'll be in touch," Eric said, leading them from the restaurant.

"Why did you take that?" Ryan asked Jessica as they walked back to the Hummer.

"His fingerprints would be all over it," Jessica explained, "Maybe even a little DNA."

"But that was illegal obtained," Ryan said.

"No it wasn't," Jessica smiled as she climbed into the driver's seat. "It was trash. I don't need a warrant for trash."

Ryan chuckled as she took off down the street. "This is why I love you."

* * *

Jessica stared at the food label under the microscope, examining it from every angle carefully. She lifted it off the light stage and hung it in the superglue hood. She removed it once the job was done and carefully laid it out on the table again. She gently fluttered her fingerprint brush over it lightly and smiled as a latent print appeared. She sealed it over with clear tape and began taking pictures, scanning it into the computer. She smiled when the computer immediately threw out Charlie Pell as the owner.

Ryan walked into the lab and smiled at the sight of Jessica at the counter, working hard in her own little world. He walked up behind her, gently placing his hands on her hips and kissing the back of her neck.

"Hello beautiful," he whispered in her ear, his words tickling her hair.

"You miss me too much, don't you?" Jessica said with a smirk.

"Yes, I spend too much time here without you and it makes me miss you so much," Ryan chuckled in her ear, holding her a little tighter against his body. "And I never get to see our new son hardly ever, too."

Jessica turned around and looked up at him. She gently kissed him and nuzzled her face into his neck.

"Sometimes I miss the good old days," she whispered. "Back when it was just you and me and no little bugger butt keeping us awake all night."

"But you're happy he's here," Ryan said, gently stroking her cheek.

"I'm so happy he's here," Jessica smiled. "It's the greatest feeling in the world knowing that I have a son with the man I love." Ryan looked into her eyes and Jessica could see the worry. "He's yours, Ryan," Jessica quietly said, "I swear to you, I've never been with another man."

"I know, and I believe you've never slept with another man," Ryan quietly said, "but that one time, when you were undercover, with Jesse…"

Jessica wrapped her arms around him and held him close. "Oliver isn't Jesse's son," she whispered. "I took the contraceptive pill, remember?"

"But what if it didn't work?" Ryan whispered. "I mean, Oliver _was_ five weeks early."

Jessica was silent for a moment before she whispered almost inaudibly. "Because Jesse told me Oliver's your son."

Ryan leaned back and looked into her eyes. "Jesse told you?"

Jessica silently nodded her head as small tears began to form in her eyes. "Yeah, he did."

"But you found out you were pregnant after he died. How could he…" Ryan looked into her eyes as realization washed over him. "You see him, too, don't you?"

Jessica nodded her head. "Yes, I do," she whispered.

"Hey love birds, save it for home," Eric chuckled as he walked into the lab.

Jessica carefully pulled away from Ryan and walked back to the computer. "Charles Pell's fingerprints came back to his rap sheet." She explained, "He's in the system for assault and battery and some time spent in a few different county jails."

"Well let's see if the one and only print Tom managed to lift from the body matches Pell's," Eric said as he scanned the print into the computer. Within seconds the computer beeped, confirming a match.

"Well what do you know," Eric smiled, "Pell touched Smith's dead body."

"But it doesn't prove Pell killed Smith," Ryan said.

"Then we need to find his motive for killing Smith," Jessica said. She suddenly jumped and looked down at her shirt, her face flushed. She pulled her lab coat more tightly around her chest, crossing her arms over her torso, as her cheeks burned.

Ryan gently placed his hand on her lower back and stood close to her. "Maybe you should go pick up Oliver and take the rest of the day off," he quietly said. "I think Eric and I can figure it out from here. If we need you we'll call."

Jessica nodded her head and quietly walked out of the lab without saying anything.

"What's up with Jess?" Eric quietly asked as they began placing the evidence back in the box.

"I think she might have lactated," Ryan quietly said. "It happens when women don't feed their baby for a long period of time."

"Aw, poor girl," Eric quietly said. "Does she have something to change into?"

"If not she'll just take one of my t-shirts from my locker."

* * *

Ryan barely made it through the door of his condo before Jessica attached herself to him. He was pinned against the wall as his jeans and boxers fell to his ankles. Jessica's mouth was warm and moist as it engulfed his hardening manhood. He gasped and laced his fingers into her hair as he began to lightly thrust into her mouth.

"Oh god, Jess," he moaned as his heart began to race.

When he felt the quivering begin deep within him he grasped her ear and Jessica popped up in front of him. He was suddenly inside her as she wrapped one leg around his waist. Ryan's head fell back as he groaned with his orgasm. He gasped for air as Jessica pulled herself off him and his legs shook slightly.

"Damn," he muttered as Jessica pulled his pants up for him. "Shit, where did that come from?"

Jessica smiled and kissed him. "What, surprise blow jobs aren't your thing?"

Ryan chuckled and held her close. "Now I didn't say I didn't like it," he smirked, "Just that I didn't know where it came from."

* * *

Ryan stared at the pictures of the crime scene again, trying to figure out Pell's confusing death. Eric walked in and chuckled at his confusion.

"Don't think so hard, I can smell your brain burning."

Ryan chuckled as he began shuffling pictures around on the table. "Jess tells me the same thing when I get obsessive about cases."

"How is she, anyways?" Eric inquired. "I've hardly seen her at all since Ollie was born."

"Um, she's good," Ryan quietly said.

"And what's the but?" Eric asked.

Ryan looked at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"I mean something's going on with her," Eric said, "I could see it in her eyes yesterday."

Ryan sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Well to be honest I think she's a little depressed."

"About what?"

"I think she misses work. I mean she loves being a mom, but I think she's so career driven that sitting at home doing nothing but watching a baby is hard for her. She needs something more in her life."

"Well what are you going to do?" Eric asked him.

"Well I've been thinking about our options." Ryan explained, "We could switch jobs and I stay at home with Oliver."

"But the same thing would happen to you." Eric said, "You know you would miss the lab."

"Right, so I'm thinking maybe once Oliver's old enough and he's been weaned then we could switch off and on who stays home and who works that week."

"Sounds like a good idea," Eric commented. "Why don't you bring it up with H?"

"I was thinking of doing that. You know, clearing it with him before I get Jess's hopes up about coming back to work before the big boss says it's cool."

Eric chuckled. "Yeah, because Jessica would be pissed if you did that to her."

"She'd make me sleep in Lucy's crate," Ryan sarcastically said, Eric laughing at his joke.

* * *

"So you're saying you would be willing to miss an entire week of work to be a stay at home dad for our son while I brought home the bacon?" Jessica asked as she carefully bathed their son in the bathroom sink.

"Yeah," Ryan said, handing her a bottle of baby shampoo. "Why not?"

"You're not going to miss work too much, are you?"

"I probably will, but not as much as you're missing it right now."

Jessica looked at him, her large blue eyes filled with a mixture of emotions. Ryan leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"Once Oliver's been weaned, let's just give it a try," he whispered.

Jessica smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. "Alright, but on one condition," she said.

"What's that?" Ryan inquired.

"You have to clean up the bomb our son just left in the sink," she said, lifting Oliver from the water to reveal a turd floating in the water.

"Jerk," Ryan muttered as he tried to clean the poop.


	9. The Best Way to Start the Day

**So I feel like a lot of the fan fictions I've read always have some kind of smut scene involving chocolate sauce. So for once I decided to follow the crowd and write one of my own. I hope it was tasty. ;)**

* * *

The Best Way to Start the Day for a Hopeless Romantic

* * *

Ryan groaned as Jessica pushed him onto the kitchen table. Her hands slid into the waistline of his sweatpants. She guided him to lay on his back as she rid him of his clothing. Her hands wandered across his warm skin and Ryan arched his back as she took hold of his hard manhood. Jessica's hand gently worked up and down his hot flesh and Ryan moaned with desire. She stopped for a moment and Ryan listened to the fridge door open and close. Something icy cold running over his hot flesh caused him to cry out.

"What the hell?" he muttered, propping himself up to see what Jessica was doing. He watched as she licked a trail of chocolate sauce off his abdomen. He felt himself grow harder as she poured more onto his chest. She poured a generous amount on each of his nipples and Ryan moaned as she lapped the chocolate up.

Ryan cried out as Jessica dumped a large amount of cold chocolate sauce onto his throbbing member. Her palm and fingers worked it up and down his length as he began to thrust into her hand. Her breath was hot as she engulfed his erection into the warm carven of her mouth.

"Oh god, Jess," he muttered as he laid down on the table. He squirmed and his eyes rolled into the back of his head in pleasure.

Her head bobbed up and down in time with his gentle thrusts. Jessica hollowed out her cheeks as she sucked deeply, trying to lick off every drop of chocolate sauce. Ryan moaned and ran his fingers through her soft hair as he continued to softly thrust into Jessica's mouth as her tongue wrapped around his hard member.

The quivering began deep within him and Ryan struggled to find Jessica's ear to squeeze it. She released him and began tugging on his hard member. She kissed him sloppily and swirled chocolate sauce around the inside of his mouth with her tongue. Ryan came with a moan all over Jessica's hand.

He continued to lay there on the table, panting while Jessica walked over to the sink. He gasped momentarily when she began cleaning him up with a warm kitchen towel.

"Do you actually know that I really enjoy it when you do that?" Ryan asked as the damp towel began to loose its heat.

"You know I kind of figured you liked it when I cleaned you up," Jessica smirked, kissing him lightly.

Ryan sighed as the warm towel ran over his genitals. "It just feels so nice, but not like erotic, just comforting."

"I can make it erotic if you want," Jessica smirked.

"No, that's ok," Ryan smiled, "I just like having an intimate moment with you."

Jessica chuckled and kissed him. "You really are a hopeless romantic," she said.

"And I probably always will be," he whispered, "As long as I have you."

"Well Mr. Romantic, you need to go to work now," Jessica smiled. "So why don't we go shower so you can go fight the bad guys?"

"I think I like the sounds of that plan," Ryan smirked as Jessica helped him to his feet.

* * *

Jessica looked at the screen of her phone to see Horatio's number. She brought the phone to her ear as she laid her son in his crib.

"Hey Dad, what's up?" she said as she quietly left the room.

"Jess, I was wondering if you would like to come in and work for a few hours," Horatio inquired.

"Sure, what's going on?" Jessica inquired.

"Frank's got a unit of new recruits," Horatio explained, "And he wants to do a hostage simulation with them. Unfortunately there aren't enough patrols to do it right now. So he asked me if he could use a few of the CSIs."

"You want me to come in and play capture the flag with a bunch of kids?" Jessica asked.

Horatio chuckled and smiled. "Essentially yes," he answered.

"Alright, sounds like a great idea to me!" Jessica excitedly said. "Just let me find a babysitter and I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Take your time, Bug," Horatio chuckled, "We'll be waiting for you."

* * *

Joan Farinelli stood amongst the other MDPD recruits. Sergeant Frank Tripp paced before them as he waited. A Hummer pulled up and three people emerged from it; two men and a woman. They walked over and stood before the group, speaking to Frank.

"Alright new kids," Frank finally said, "We're going to have a hostage rescue simulation today. Everyone's a bit busy today so Lieutenant Caine was kind enough to offer three of his CSIs to us. Unfortunately for you, he sent his daughter, which means you're really going to have to be on your toes today. Now, this is CSI Simmons, CSI Wolfe, and CSI Dr. Caine. Wolfe and Caine will be holding Simmons hostage in the bunker house over on Maple, and that's all the information you're getting. They're going to get a ten minute head start and then you'll fall in. Everyone understand?"

"Yes sir," sounded across the small group of six.

Joan watched the CSI team climb back into the Hummer and drive away. The group climbed into the SWAT vehicle and they were driven away.

"So why did Sergeant Tripp say we were unfortunate because Lieutenant Caine's daughter's here?" a new recruit named Matt asked.

"Don't know," Jake responded, "Maybe he thinks we'll be too distracted by her hotness."

"No way, haven't you guys heard?" Harvey asked.

"Heard what?" Matt asked.

"Caine's daughter's a one shot killer," Harvey explained. "I heard a gunman came into the lab last year and she killed him with a shot to the head using a left handed gun, and she's right handed!"

"Like that's that hard," Matt scoffed.

"Oh please, you wouldn't even be able to eat left handed, much less shoot a gun!" Jake retorted.

"Shut your face!" Matt snapped, "You don't know me!"

Joan continued to listen to their playful banter as she stared out the back window of the vehicle. She was scared. She had to admit it to herself. Joan was scared out of her mind.

* * *

Joan followed Matt and Jake around the left side of the house. They crouched in the bushes and looked at the ominous house.

"Do you think they're going to use real guns?" Matt quietly asked.

"Of course they're using real guns!" Jake snapped, "What do you think they would use?"

"I don't know, paintball guns?" Matt quietly said.

"Quiet, both of you," Joan hissed as a dog began to bark, "They're going to hear us."

"They already know we're coming," Jake said with a roll of his eyes. "What's it matter if they hear us? I'm going to get a closer look. We're looking for the black guy, right?"

Then a shot rang out and Jake screamed. He clutched his shoulder and rolled on the ground. Joan hit the ground and watched as other members of her squad began grunting in pain as bullets flew through the air. Joan grabbed her radio and called over it.

"Shots fired from the east side!" she yelled into it. "I repeat, shots fired from the east side!"

"No shit, Sherlock!" someone yelled over the transmission in response.

* * *

Jessica sat at the kitchen table, staring out the window as the SWAT vehicle pulled up. She stood and walked to the window that hung over the counter. She took a long drink of her coke and watched the young recruits file out of the vehicle.

"Hey Ry, they're here," she called out as she rested her elbows on the tile counter, bracing the AR-15 in her arms.

"Lucy, intruder!" Ryan commanded the dog. Immediately Lucy began barking and howling.

Jessica watched the group split into two and each take a side of the house. She watched a group of two men and a woman crawl through the bushes through the eye piece of her gun. They were whispering, and Jessica could almost make out their words. The police scanner next to her was surprisingly silent as she listened. Then she heard one young man say he was going in for a better look and ask who their hostage they were supposed to be rescuing was. He stood and walked towards the house and Jessica smiled to herself.

"Show time," she whispered as she began pulling the trigger on her rifle.

* * *

Men tried to stand and ran all around her as Joan continued to creep her way along the lawn. She was almost there when something stung her between the eyes. She shook it off and continued to crawl on her stomach through the overgrown grass. Multiple stings broke out across her back along her spine and she tried to ignore the pain as she worked her way through the bugs and dirt.

A black dog ran out of the house and ran towards her, barking and barring its teeth. It snapped at Joan and she pushed it away. The dog latched onto the arm of her black fatigues and Joan tried to fight it off as she continued her pursuit to the house. She finally gave up and rose to her feet and began to run. Sharp, stinging pains peppered her stomach and she dropped to her knees and collapsed to the ground.

Then there was silence. The shooting had stopped but the dog continued to growl as it clung to Joan's arm.

"Lucy release," a woman's voice commanded. The dog released its grip on Joan's arm and backed away. Joan watched a pair of feet wearing black boots and legs clad in black fatigues wander into her vision.

"Get up!" the same female voice commanded her. When she didn't move someone grabbed the back of her black shirt and pulled her upwards. Joan stumbled to her feet and stood on shaking legs. The person held the back of her collar and her chest hurt with every breath as she stared into ocean blue eyes.

"What's your name?" the blonde woman asked her.

Joan gasped for air as her ribs stung. "Joan Farinelli," she managed to say.

"No, you're Officer Farinelli now," the blonde woman said as she continued to peer into Joan's eyes. "Were you the one that made the radio call about shots fired?" she asked, obviously observing that Joan was the only female recruit.

"Yes, ma'am," Joan said with a nod.

She released her grip and Joan collapsed to her knees on the ground. She watched the woman walk over to the other half of the group on the other side of the yard. She looked them over before she grabbed one by the front of the shirt. "Was it you who responded to her call?"

Mark nodded his head, the fear evident in his eyes.

"Answer me," the woman growled in his face.

"Yes, ma'am," Mark nearly whispered.

"And how did you respond?" she glared at him. Mark's eyes dropped to the ground and he was silent. "Answer me now," she ordered in a slow, deliberate voice.

"I said 'No shit, Sherlock.'"

"And why would you say something like that?"

Mark was silent for several moments before he finally spoke. "I don't know, ma'am."

She released her grip and walked back towards Joan. She passed by her and continued on towards Jake. That's when Joan noticed the blue chalk powder covering Jake's fatigues in small spots. She looked down at herself and found the same spots covering her clothes.

"Were you the first one I shot?" the woman asked.

"Yes ma'am," Jake nodded.

"Then why didn't you make the call?"

Jake shifted uneasily and looked down at his feet. "It hurt," he whispered.

"It hurt so you forgot about the safety and well being of everyone else around you?"

Jake's face flushed a deep shade of red and he couldn't seem to bring his eyes back to the blonde woman's gaze.

She turned and walked back to Joan. She pulled her to her feet and turned her to face the group.

"All of you, look at Officer Farinelli here!" her voice boomed. "If I had been using real bullets and not rubber ones she would have died the first time I shot her, but she kept going! She knew she had a mission! She pushed herself to keep going! Even after I shot every vertebra in her spine! Even after my dog attacked her! Even after I shot out every single one of her internal organs! She never gave up! Even when she knew she was going to die!"

Joan's face flushed ever so slightly and she stared at her feet.

"Officer Farinelli is the only one here today that I am willing to use the honorable title of Officer for the Miami Dade Police Department!" She released her grip on Joan's shirt and looked around at the rest of the men scattered across the lawn. "The rest of you did the most dishonorable thing ever! You let a hostage die!"

The short, brown haired man walked out of the house, dragging the tall black man. Scattered across the black man's shirt were blue chalk dust circles.

"While I was shooting at Farinelli my partner killed the hostage!" the woman continued to yell. "Do any of you have any idea how we knew you were coming?"

Every single recruit stared at the ground. Joan looked up and spoke softly. "The dog started to bark."

"Exactly!" she exclaimed, "But not one of you thought to mention that. I had a police scanner set to your radio frequency and I never once heard a call besides Officer Farinelli's! Communication is one of the most important parts about being a police officer!" She stood there for a moment and stared at Joan. "And only one of you is ready to receive that title," she said in a calmer, quiet voice.

Joan's face flushed and she stared at her feet. She watched another set of feet enter her vision and someone grasped her shoulder. She looked up to see Jessica Caine's soft blue eyes looking at her.

"You did an extraordinary job today, Officer Farinelli," she quietly said. "Why don't you head back to PD and clean up. Then come find me and we'll have a little chat."

Joan silently nodded her head and turned back towards the SWAT vehicle. She absent mindedly rubbed between her eyes, only to discover blue chalk dust on her fingers.

Walter and Ryan walked to Jessica's side, chuckling and elbowing each other.

"Damn Jess," Walter said, "You're fierce! You had them scared shitless!"

"That's my girl!" Ryan proclaimed, pulling Jessica against his body and kissing her passionately.

"Was it really necessary to shoot me, Wolfe?" Walter asked as they walked back towards Frank's patrol car and the MDPD Hummer.

"Of course," Ryan smirked.

"But did you really need to shoot me twenty-seven times?"

"I had to make sure you were good and dead," Ryan chuckled as they loaded their rifles into the trunk of the Hummer. Ryan looked around and furrowed his brow. "Where's Lucy?"

"Oh no," Jessica sighed, "She must have ran off. Walter will you go look around the next couple of bunker houses while Ryan and I search the house?"

"Yeah, sure," Walter said as he turned to leave.

Jessica and Ryan walked back into the house. They were greeted by Lucy's smiling face and wagging tail just inside the kitchen. Jessica knelt to the ground and scratched behind her ear.

"Good girl, Lucy," she whispered. Jessica stood and turned towards Ryan. She looked back at her dog and smiled. "Lucy, find Walter!"

Lucy barked once and ran out the door. Jessica and Ryan listened as Walter called out her name and they could see him chasing the black dog.

Jessica smirked at Ryan. She jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. His lips crashed against hers as he pressed her down onto the counter. Their black fatigue pants were lost in a horny fit as Ryan shoved himself deep into Jessica's inner core.

"Oh Jesus," Jessica whispered, "Oh damn, Ryan."

"Watching you shoot that AR-15 was the hottest thing I've ever seen!" Ryan growled in her ear as he thrusted hard into her. "You looked crazy sexy holding that assault rifle, taking out all those damn recruits!"

Jessica chuckled and moaned as pleasure swept through her body. "We should volunteer to help more often," she chuckled.

"Definitely," Ryan panted.

* * *

Joan walked through the halls of the Miami Dade Crime Lab with Sergeant Tripp. They walked into an empty lab in the back.

"I'll be right back," Frank quietly said as he walked out of the room.

Joan shifted her weight from foot to foot, and then began wandering around the room. She looked at large vats that held bags of fake blood in the small fridge and at various common household objects. She had just picked up a baseball bat and was looking it over when someone kicked her elbow.

Joan caught a flash of blonde hair as someone put her into a headlock. Joan elbowed the person in the ribs and spun from her grasp. She fell when the other person grabbed her ankle and threw her to the floor. Her eyes spun as the person straddled her hips and wrapped their hands around her neck. Joan wrapped her legs around theirs and flipped backwards over their heads and shoulders, slamming the other onto the floor. The other woman kicked her in the stomach, throwing her across the room. Joan rolled back to her feet and charged at the other head on. She saw a momentary flash of blue as the other person grabbed the front of her black fatigue shirt and slammed her onto her back on the floor.

The wind was knocked from Joan's lungs as she hit the floor hard. She gasped for air and threw her arms above her head, opening up her airway. Her eyes watered slightly as she looked up at Jessica Caine leaning forward on her knees, panting for air.

"Shit Jess, I didn't think you were going to kill her," Frank said as he walked into the room with Horatio and Ryan.

"I didn't kill her," Jessica said, holding out her hand for Joan to take. "She's still breathing."

"What…the hell…was that about,…ma'am?" Joan panted.

Jessica chuckled and clapped her hard on the back. "I just royally kicked the shit out of you and you still treat me with respect." Jessica shook her head and smiled at Joan. "Well Officer Farinelli, I like the way you work. You're hard working, dedicated, and true to your word. I just wanted to see how you reacted in an ambush."

Joan stared at her baffled. Jessica chuckled at her bewildered expression.

"Officer Farinelli, I like you, and I don't say that too many people." Jessica explained, "And I was wondering if you'd like to come work for me."

Joan stared at her in disbelief. "You want me to come work for you, ma'am?"

Jessica chuckled again and smiled. "The Lieutenant cleared it," she said with a nod towards Horatio. "I'm still on maternity leave right now, but by the time you graduate from the academy I should be back in business. So what do you say, Officer Farinelli?"

She held out her hand and Joan stared at it for a moment. A smile spread across her face as she reached out and grasped it.

"I say you have a deal, Dr. Caine!"

Jessica chuckled and held her hand firmly. "I like the way you think, Joan," she said with a smile. "And feel free to call me Jessica."

* * *

**I'd just like to say, my heart goes out to the victims of the Connecticut shooting. I hope the families find peace at this awful time.  
**


	10. Letting go of the Ghosts

**This is a short idea that came to me one day. Enjoy!**

* * *

Letting go of the Ghosts

* * *

Horatio smiled to himself as he watched his slightly disorganized daughter dig through boxes.

"Sorry Dad," Jessica said, shifting boxes on the shelf of a closet, "I know it's here somewhere."

Horatio chuckled and continued to watch her struggle. "You sure you don't need any help there, Bug?"

"Yes, yes, I'm fine," Jessica said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not that much shorter than you. Oh shit!"

Two colorful photo boxes came tumbling out of the closet and hit Jessica in the shoulder. Pictures went scattering everywhere as they flew open. Jessica groaned and dropped to her knees and began picking up pictures.

"Great, just my luck," she quietly said.

"I thought you didn't believe in luck," Horatio chuckled as he knelt next to her to help clean up.

Jessica smiled and shook her head. "It's a figment of speech, lame brain."

Horatio chuckled again but stopped when he found three leather wallets amongst the pictures. He picked one up and read the credentials inside.

"Officer Jessica Stone-Johnson," he whispered, staring at the picture on the card and the shining Chicago Police Department badge.

Jessica sat there silently, staring at the floor.

Horatio opened another and found a younger version of himself staring back at him. He opened the third and stared at his long ago best friend. Lieutenant Brian Johnson looked straight at the camera, the pride still evident in his eyes.

"You kept these," Horatio whispered, unable to hide the emotion in his voice.

"Yeah," Jessica whispered, "I didn't want to get rid of them. My parents' badges were given to me when they died. I couldn't get rid of them."

"What about this one?" Horatio quietly asked, looking at his old badge and credentials from another life.

Jessica was silent for a long time before she spoke again. "I didn't want to be alone," she finally whispered.

"Alone?" Horatio quietly said.

"Yeah, when I left for Michigan I didn't want to be alone," Jessica explained, small tears forming in her eyes. "I thought if I took it with me it would be like having you there. I would have someone to protect me."

Horatio reached out and pulled his daughter into his arms. He held her close as she slowly began to cry.

"You would never be alone, Jessie," he whispered, "Not as long as we have each other."

"I know," she whispered. "I was scared though. I wanted you to come with me."

"If I could I would have," Horatio quietly said. "I had too many ties in Chicago, too many responsibilities and people who relied on me. I couldn't just leave them all."

"But you did," Jessica whispered against his shoulder. "You just got up one day and left. You ran off to Miami and didn't even tell me you were leaving."

"I hadn't planned on it. I received a call one day from the Sheriff in Miami offering me a job on the bomb squad. I didn't know how he got my number but I didn't care. I took the job. I had to leave Chicago. There were too many ghosts in my life."

"Like Izzy," Jessica whispered.

"Yes, and Brian and Jessica," Horatio whispered. "I couldn't do it anymore. My life seemed to be spiraling downward, out of control. I divorced my wife, my daughter was sent to jail, she moved to Michigan, and then I lost my damn badge. Loosing that goddamn badge was what did me in, though. I was sick of my life and I took loosing my badge as a sign it was time to move on to bigger and better things."

Jessica was silent as he held her in his arms. Horatio leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"You little sneak," he whispered with a slight chuckle. "You took my badge and that's how this all happened. You took that stupid badge and made me think I lost it. I searched all over my house for it and never found it. I shifted through my belongings for days and never once did I come across it. I couldn't even remember the last time I had it. You took my badge and that's why I moved to this god forsaken city. I left Chicago because I felt like I had finally lost everything in my life; the woman I loved, my daughter, and that fucking badge. And here you were, hiding it amongst old memories and pictures. What else of mine did you take?"

"Nothing of yours," Jessica whispered. "Just someone else."

She lifted the colorful, upturned box, relieving the contents within. There was a jewelry box that held a ladybug necklace and an old sorority pin. A gold man's watch, the crystal in the face cracked. A pocketknife with a light blue colored handle. A green bandana with ladybugs on it. The external until of a cochlear implant.

Horatio looked at the objects and felt sorrow fill his veins. He touched everything gently as tears formed in his eyes.

"I bought her this," he whispered, picking up the bandana. "We were walking around downtown Chicago when some weird hippy vendor approached us and tried to hustle us into buying something. I tried to get away but Jessabelle saw this and loved it. I bought it for her, paying probably triple what I would have paid anywhere else. But it was what she wanted."

Jessica continued to stare at the floor, still not speaking.

"You probably think I'm strange for keeping these things," she finally whispered. "Or you're pissed that I took them."

Horatio pulled her back into his arms and held her, as a small tear worked its way down his cheek.

"No," he whispered, "I'm not mad at all. These are the things you wanted to keep to remember your parents. There's nothing wrong with what you did."

"It's hard still," Jessica quietly said, "Living with the ghosts."

"It'll always be difficult trying to live while they're gone," Horatio quietly said to her. "They were such an important part of our lives."

"Sometimes it's hard to let go of our ghosts," Jessica whispered into his neck.

Horatio kissed her forehead and held her close. "Because they always stay with us," he whispered.


	11. Victory Lap

**Fact: 2011 was the first time in 39 years the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup.  
Fact: I am not a Bruins fan, but once my team was out of the playoffs I cheered for them all the way!  
Fact: This chapter is clearly not in the present time.  
**

**Adult themes in this chapter. Not that you would expect anything less from me. ;)**

* * *

Victory Lap

* * *

Horatio unlocked the door to Jessica's condo and walked inside. He walked around the silent apartment, calling out Jessica's name. He heard a loud banging noise from upstairs and walked towards the staircase. He stopped when he heard his daughter's muffled voice.

"Oh god, yes! Oh god, Ryan! Oh give it to me! Give it to me harder!"

Horatio backed off and descended the few steps he had climbed. He walked back towards the living room and sat on the couch. When Jessica and Ryan's voice floated inside with him he tried to move again.

"Oh Jesus, Jessica! Oh dear god, don't stop now!"

"Oh believe me, I'm not stopping, stupid head!"

Horatio wandered into the guest bedroom that would soon become Oliver's. He walked around the room, taking in what renovations Ryan and Jessica had accomplished. He sighed when he heard the banging noise increase and Jessica's voice cut through the walls.

"Oh dear god, Ryan! Oh god, how are you this big?!"

"Because I'm part French, part Italian, and all Wolfe!"

Horatio shuddered and continued his path through Jessica's apartment. He stopped in the kitchen and opened the fridge and began rummaging through the shelves. When a euphoric noise from Jessica blasted through his ears he quickly shut the door and walked back into the living room.

"Oh Ryan! Oh god, right there! Do that again, right there!"

"I'll do it all night long, as long as you keep screaming my name!"

Horatio turned on the TV and began flipping through the channels, trying to find anything to block out the sound. Lucy curled up on his lap and Horatio smiled as he scratched behind her ears. He had just decided on a TV viewing of "Kiss of Death" when he heard something come thundering down the stairs. He didn't turn to see but knew it was his daughter and her boyfriend, most likely Jessica running from Ryan in a playful game. Horatio peeked over the couch towards the kitchen when he heard something crash but wasn't worried when he heard Jessica laugh.

"Oh no, you caught me!"

"You might be able to outrun me any other time, but you can't beat me when I'm naked and horny!"

"I would think," Jessica said as she moaned, "That being so hard would make it difficult."

"Nope, just motivation," Ryan's strained voice said as something began to bang.

Horatio turned up the TV when their moans became increasingly louder. He tried to mentally block out the sounds, but the fact that it was his little girl with a man made it harder, no matter how long he had known these antics had been going on.

"Ryan," Jessica's gasped from the kitchen, "Did you leave the TV on?"

"No," Ryan said in a winded voice, "It hasn't been on since the game last night."

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked him.

"Yeah, I'm positive. We turned it off after the Stanley Cup was presented and then, well, we, you know."

"Yeah, I know," Jessica gasped as the banging sound increased, "But I definitely think I hear the TV on."

"Do you want me to go check it out?"

"Only after you're done here."

"Oh I think I can deal with that."

Horatio couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he watched the movie on TV. He heard Jessica cry out and both of them panting for air.

"Ok," Jessica said, "Leave me here and go find out what's going on with the TV."

"Right," Ryan muttered.

Horatio smiled as he heard the sound of bare feet against tile and slid down in his seat so his head wasn't visible over the top of the couch.

"Huh, weird," Ryan yelled to Jessica, "The TV is on."

"Maybe we did forget it in our haste to the bedroom," Jessica yelled.

"Maybe," Ryan chuckled as he leaned down the pick up the remote from the arm of the couch. He froze and slowly turned his head and looked at Horatio.

"Hello Mr. Wolfe," Horatio calmly said, his eyes never flickering from the screen as he continued to scratch behind Lucy's ear, "A bit cold?"

Ryan screamed and ran back towards the kitchen. Horatio listened to a clattering noise and Jessica's panicked voice.

"What is it?"

"It's your Dad!"

"My Dad?"

"Dad's in our living room!"

"What?!"

"He's in the living room watching TV!"

"Oh shit!"

Horatio laughed as he listened to the thundering of feet up the stairs and across the upper floor. He could hear clattering upstairs and shook his head at his childrens' misfortune. Something rapped him hard on the head and he looked up to see his daughter's flushed face looking down at him.

"You asshole!" she snipped as she smacked him up side the head again. "Don't you ever think to call before you come over?!"

"I did," Horatio chuckled as his daughter hit him again, "Five times in fact."

"What?! No you didn't!" Jessica said as she pulled out her cell phone. She silently looked at her screen and quietly stuffed it back into her pocket. "Never mind," she muttered as Ryan walked into the room carrying Oliver.

"Yeah, he called me four times, too," Ryan read from his phone. He stuffed his phone in his pocket and held his son against his shoulder. He buried his nose into his hair and gently kissed the side of his head.

"I'm right, aren't I?" Horatio asked him with a smile.

Ryan smiled and looked at Horatio with a sheepish grin. "The greatest feeling in the world," Ryan quietly said, "Is holding your child in your arms."

Horatio smiled and rubbed Lucy's belly as she rolled onto her back on the couch. "So where was the little guy this whole time?"

"Um, in his crib?" Jessica quietly said.

"The same room where you two were fucking like rabbits?" Horatio asked as he continued to watch the movie on TV.

"He was asleep," Jessica said.

"The whole time?" Horatio inquired.

"Well, no, he woke up when he was hungry." Jessica explained, "So we took a quick break for breakfast and lunch, and every meal in-between for him."

"But he slept the rest of the time?" Horatio continued to question.

Jessica thought it over. "Yeah, pretty much. Little tike sleeps like a rock." Jessica flopped down onto the couch next to her father and smiled. "Just like his grandfather."

Horatio smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Bug," he whispered.

"I love you, too, Daddy H," she whispered in response.

"Ouch! Ollie!" Ryan exclaimed, rubbing his right earlobe.

Jessica looked at her boyfriend in confusion. "What did he do?"

"He bit me," Ryan quietly said. "He bit my ear." He held out his small son for his girlfriend and Jessica accepted him with a chuckle. "I don't want to hold him anymore, he's mean," Ryan said in a sarcastic, whiny voice.

Jessica laughed and set her son on his butt on her lap and held him in place. Oliver looked at her with his large blue eyes and smiled. Jessica leaned down and kissed his forehead and smiled back at him.

"Good boy, Ollie," she said, "You show Daddy who's boss."

"You're just mad because the Red Wings lost so early in the play offs," Ryan scoffed as he sat on the floor by Jessica. He ran his fingers through Oliver's thick brown hair and smiled.

"And you're going to rub it in my face that the Bruins won the Stanley Cup," Jessica said with a roll of her eyes.

"That they did," Ryan sassed.

"Well at least it seems we only have to celebrate once every thirty-nine years," Jessica sarcastically said. "So Dad, when 2050 rolls around and the Bruins win the cup again don't bother coming over because we'll probably be having victory sex then."

"You two are going to be together for the next thirty-nine years?" Horatio asked with a chuckle.

Ryan's face flushed and he immediately looked at the floor. He knew what Horatio was insinuating and he touched his pocket only to find it empty for once.

Horatio smiled and reached into the pocket of his suit jacket. "I bought Oliver a present," he said. "I had to run to the store to pick up a few things and I found this and had to buy it." He carefully unfolded the white baby onesie on his lap and Ryan smiled.

"So they make Stanly Cup baby clothes for the winning team now," he chuckled as he lifted it from Horatio's legs. "I like it!"

"You would," Jessica scoffed as she began removing Oliver's blue striped onesie he was wearing. She swiftly changed his clothes and smiled as she snapped the new outfit in place. "There, happy?"

Ryan smiled as he lifted their son from her lap. He held him up and smiled in approval. "Yes, but I would be even happier if you would wear the Bruins shirt I bought you."

"Oh please," Jessica scoffed, "I'm not putting that on."

"Hey, I wore the Red Wings shirt for you this year whenever they played!" Ryan sassed, cuddling his son in his arms. Oliver began to fuss and Ryan held him out for Jessica. "Jess, he's crying again."

"Probably because of that awful outfit he's wearing," Jessica said as she pulled up her t-shirt so she could feed their son.

"I think dinner sounds like a good idea," Horatio said, standing from the couch. "Who wants lasagna?"

"Is it your recipe that Jess uses?" Ryan asked as he stood from the floor.

"As a matter of fact it is," Horatio said. "I take it you like it."

"Love it!" Ryan exclaimed. "I'll help you make it."

"Ryan," Jessica called from the couch, "You might want to clean the kitchen table first."

"Oh, right," Ryan quietly said as he and Horatio walked into the kitchen.

"Is that what the banging noise was?" Horatio asked as he opened the fridge.

"Um, maybe," Ryan quietly said, grabbing kitchen cleaner from under the sink.

"And the headboard hitting the wall upstairs," Horatio chuckled as he began measuring out ingredients.

"Yeah…" Ryan practically whispered, his cheeks flushed.

"I wonder sometimes how the two of you don't get noise complaints," Horatio chuckled.

"We plan for when the neighbors are gone," Ryan chuckled.

* * *

**Fact: David Caruso (Horatio Caine) was in a remake of "Kiss of Death" with Nicholas Cage. Did you see what I did there? I made Horatio watch himself on TV. XD I know, I'm a bit of a dork.  
**


	12. Here for You

**You know those times you sit staring at your computer screen trying to come up with a title? Yeah, had one of those moments…**

* * *

Here for You

* * *

It was a beautiful, sunny day. The air was warm, the trees swayed in the gentle breeze, and the sky was an incredible shade of blue. The same shade of blue as Jessica Caine's eyes.

Ryan smiled to himself as he watched the world pass by through the window of the Hummer. He glanced towards Horatio but his eyes were masked behind his dark sunglasses. He leaned back into the seat and felt a sense of contentment.

"H, can I ask you something?" he quietly said.

"Of course, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio responded as he continued his drive down the road.

"Why did you pick me?"

"Well everyone else was busy and I needed someone to come to the scene with me."

"No, sorry, I should have been more specific. I mean why did you pick me to be Jessica's supervisor for her internship?"

Horatio was silent for a moment. The brakes groaned to a stop at a red light and he continued to stare straight forward.

"I wanted someone strong, someone who would protect my little girl," he finally said. "I knew I could trust Natalia and Calleigh but I wanted someone who would be able to take down the criminals I knew she wouldn't be able to. I hardly knew Walter, so I didn't have a clue how he would act around Jessica. I know I can trust Eric, but Jessica had eyes for him when she came to visit the lab years ago."

He was silent again as they continued their drive down the street.

"What about Jesse?" Ryan quietly asked.

Horatio sighed as he turned down a different road. "Jesse Cardoza seemed too much like the kind of guy Jessica would pursue." Horatio explained, "I didn't want them in a room together alone. I didn't want him taking advantage of my little girl. I didn't feel like I could trust him with the life of my only daughter. I knew I could trust you with her, Ryan. There has always been something about you that's proven to me you are a compassionate and caring person and you would be willing to put the team before yourself. I knew you would take care of her. I knew you wouldn't take advantage of Jessica."

Horatio chuckled as he turned onto a new street again. "But had I known you were going to take her home and pop her cherry, I'm not sure I would have left her with you."

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle and smile at Horatio's comment. "Sorry H, that was a bit of an accident."

"I disagree," Horatio chuckled, "I think that was your plan all along. You're very deceitful sometimes, Ryan Wolfe."

"Is that why you were so angry when Jessica told you we were dating?" Ryan practically whispered.

Horatio sighed as he brought the Hummer to a halt. He cut the engine and just sat there silently.

"No," he quietly said, "I was angry because I was hit with so many things at once. Jessica had just told me she was pregnant and she was afraid to tell the father. We had an argument about that. I told her not to keep something like this a secret from the father. Then she accidentally said your name. I was already angry so finding out it was you and the two of you were breaking the rules just to screw around made me furious. I don't think I was ever angry with you personally. It was more I was angry with the situation. I knew Jessica was wrong, thinking she was ready to have a baby before she even finished her final semesters of grad school, but she wouldn't listen to anything practical I had to say. She always did have a hot temper. Just like her mother."

Ryan smiled and reached for Horatio's hand. "Thanks H," he whispered.

"What for?" Horatio inquired.

"For letting me have Jessica." He chuckled and smiled at Horatio. "And for not castrating me when you found out I knocked up your daughter."

Horatio laughed and squeezed Ryan's hand. "Mr. Wolfe, I don't think I would have wanted this to happen any other way."

* * *

Ryan smiled as Jessica placed her hands on his hips and kissed him gently as he walked into his condo.

"Dad called," she said between kisses, "He's invited us over for dinner since the two of you closed the case early today."

"Alright, then what do you have planned until we leave?" Ryan asked her.

Jessica giggled and kissed his neck. "What makes you say that?"

"Oh just a hunch," he smirked.

"Well then you have a good hunch," Jessica said, taking his hand and leading him up to their bedroom.

* * *

Ryan was nervous as he watched Jessica lube up the metal ring with the hollow stem. She gently grasped his shaft and looked at him.

"You sure you're ok with trying this?" she asked him.

"To be honest I'm terrified," Ryan said, "But I hear it feels amazing and makes everything more sensitive, so go ahead and give it a try."

"Alright," Jessica said, "Just tell me if you change your mind."

Jessica carefully worked the stem of the cock plug into Ryan's urethra. He hissed and Jessica felt his body tense under her touch. She stopped and looked at Ryan.

"Are you ok, pumpkin?" she quietly asked.

"Yeah, it's just really cold," Ryan gasped. "I wasn't exactly expecting that."

"Do you want to stop?" Jessica asked.

"No," Ryan whispered, "Please, keep going."

"Alright," Jessica said as she continued to insert the hollow tube into Ryan's slit. He suddenly moaned and arched his back when the butt of her palm rubbed against the head of his penis.

"Oh god," he managed to say, "Oh god, do that again."

Jessica carefully affixed the metal loop around the crown of his manhood and gently grasped his shaft in her hand. She rubbed the pad of her thumb against the tip of his forming erection and Ryan cried out again. He grasped handfuls of bedding and moaned loudly as Jessica continued to fondle him. His head lolled back and he continued to gasp and cry out as every nerve in his member seemed to enhance by twenty. He came with a loud moan of her name and continued to pant with effort.

"Oh my god," he mumbled, "Oh god that felt so good!"

Jessica giggled and kissed his cheek. "You ready to go have dinner with the old man now?"

Ryan groaned and laid on his back. "Do we have to? I want to keep playing."

"Ryan, it's time to go," Jessica said with a playful, stern expression on her face. "But if you promise to behave I'll blow you now and I'll let you keep the cock plug on while we're visiting Dad."

Ryan chuckled and carefully spread his legs. "Sounds like a deal to me. This thing won't hurt me if I keep it on for a long period of time, will it?"

"No, it's not constricting you, so you should be fine," Jessica said as her head disappeared between Ryan's legs.

* * *

Horatio smiled as Jessica and Ryan walked through the front door of his house, little Oliver asleep in his car seat. He kissed his daughter's cheek as he hugged her and gave Ryan a quick hug, secretly winking at him.

"Ollie fall asleep on the way here?" Horatio inquired as he gently lifted his grandson into his arms.

"Yup, kind of like his Dad," Jessica smirked, "Always falling asleep in the car."

"Hey, I don't _always_ fall asleep in the car," Ryan playfully retorted.

Jessica giggled and nudged him in the arm. Horatio barely caught a glimpse of Jessica's hand sliding between Ryan's legs.

"So old man, you got somewhere our son can sleep while you feed us?" Jessica inquired.

"I thought I'd use the same method I used for you when you were a baby, Bug," Horatio chuckled.

"You're going to put him in your underwear drawer," Jessica said with a roll of her eyes.

"If the shoe fits," Horatio chuckled as he began climbing the stairs.

Jessica chuckled and turned to face Ryan. She gently kissed him and groped at the hard bulge in his jeans.

"Mmm, just the way I like you," she smirked, squeezing him lightly.

"Keep that up and I'm going to jizz right here, right now," Ryan smirked.

Horatio came back down the stairs, smiling at the young lovers. He knew he saw Jessica's hand fly back to her pocket from where it rested on Ryan's groin.

"So, who's hungry?" Horatio inquired. "I made chicken parmesan."

"Oh dear, if it's the same recipe as Jessica's I'm all over that like white on rice!" Ryan eagerly said, taking off towards the kitchen.

"Good thing, too, that boy still needs to put back on some of the weight he lost when he had small pox," Jessica said with a sarcastic roll of her eyes.

"He's looking better though," Horatio commented. His face changed and he looked more grim. "I was so afraid he was going to leave us, Bug."

Jessica smiled and held his hand. "You really do care for Ryan, don't you, Dad?"

Horatio smiled and leaned in to kiss her forehead. "He loves you and makes you happy. Of course I care about him. He's like a son to me."

"Did I ever tell you I proposed to Greg Sanders?" Jessica asked with a smile.

"Yes, I do remember you telling me that," Horatio chuckled.

"I didn't want my son to grow up without a father," Jessica quietly said as they began walking towards the kitchen.

"Let's not talk about Ryan dying," Horatio whispered. "The basket case is still here, so there's no worry."

"But Dad," Jessica whispered, stopping him and looking into his eyes, "For how long? How long is Ryan really going to be in my life? I mean," Jessica said, holding up her left hand, "It doesn't mean what I want it to mean. How long until we make that promise? Am I going to have to be the one to ask? And would he even say yes? What if I humiliate him? What if it hurts him to have me ask?"

Horatio gently held her face and kissed her forehead. "Will you stop freaking out about this? Everything's fine, so stop worrying. Everything will work out." He gently pulled at her hand and walked into the kitchen. "Now come on, it's dinner time."

They laughed as they walked into the kitchen to find Ryan waiting eagerly, holding a plate and bouncing on his feet as he stared at the stove.

"Let's eat!" he eagerly exclaimed.

* * *

All through dinner Jessica kept reaching between Ryan's legs, groping at the hard bulge inside his jeans. Ryan's face flushed a few times and he hoped Horatio hadn't noticed. He nearly lost control when Jessica squeezed hard and rubbed her palm against his sensitive manhood. He honestly didn't know how much longer he could last.

Horatio didn't miss Jessica's hand sliding in-between Ryan's legs, groping at the bulge that had been there since they arrived. He saw the expression that flitted across Ryan's face when she had touched him, but he couldn't quite place what was going on.

Jessica left the kitchen after dinner to check on Oliver while Horatio and Ryan cleaned up. Ryan opened the dishwasher and tried to pull out the bottom drawer. It stuck and wouldn't move.

"Huh, has this been sticking a lot?" Ryan inquired as he knelt to the floor. He fought off the urge to grunt when he accidently rubbed his erection against the door of the machine.

"Yeah, you just kind of have to pull it up in the back a little and it'll come right out," Horatio explained. "I've been meaning to fix it but I've been too tired after work lately. I figured I'd call my handy man daughter over one day to help me."

Ryan chuckled and managed to pull the drawer loose. "She is very handy, which is nice, since I'm not."

Horatio chuckled and looked down at Ryan. He did a double take and was surprised to see the top of a navy blue thong peeking out of the waistline of Ryan's jeans.

"Ryan," Horatio whispered as Ryan stood back up, "Are you wearing a thong?"

Ryan's face lighting up told Horatio everything he needed to know. Ryan grabbed at the back of his pants and tried to pull them up higher.

"Um, no, why would I be wearing a banana hammock?"

"Ryan, I saw it, you can't lie to me," Horatio said with a mischievous smirk.

Ryan sighed and turned away. Horatio grabbed the side of his pants and shoved his hand down his waistline along his hip. Ryan's entire head seemed to burn as Horatio pulled the thin band of the thong up from Ryan's pants. He chuckled and released his grip and watched Ryan try to stuff the undergarment back into his pants.

"I was right," Horatio chuckled as he continued his cleaning. "So why are you wearing it?"

"No reason," Ryan muttered, still humiliated that Horatio caught him.

"Oh I think there's a very good reason," Horatio smirked. "What does my daughter have planned for you later that she's forcing to wear a thong and stay in an extreme state of arousal?"

"I'm not aroused," Ryan muttered.

Horatio looked at him and then looked down at the massive bulge that seemed to have gotten larger. "Then you've got a softball or something in your pants," he sarcastically said.

Ryan scoffed and turned to leave. "Whatever, maybe Jessica's right, you're senile."

Horatio chuckled and shook his head.

Ryan walked into the living room to find Jessica stretched out on Horatio's couch. Ryan slid onto the couch with Jessica and smirked as he kissed her. His body settled between her legs and he moaned into her mouth as his sensitive manhood rubbed against her body.

"Jess," he managed to mutter, "I need you to take it off. It's becoming too much."

Jessica chuckled as she worked open his pants, pulling them down off his butt. "You sure, pumpkin?" she asked, groping at his thong encased hard-on.

Ryan gasped and whimpered. "Yes, I can't take it anymore. Please, just take it out."

Jessica laughed some more as she pulled off Ryan's skimpy underwear she had picked out for him. She gently grasped his hard manhood and carefully removed the cock plug before she began stroking him.

"Oh god," Ryan muttered, "You keep doing that and I'm going to cum all over your Dad's couch."

"Well we can't have that," Jessica said, slipping off her jeans and panties. She guided Ryan into her and he released a guttural noise. He began quietly thrusting into her and tried to stay hidden behind the couch.

Horatio walked out of the kitchen and into the hall, standing inside the doorway to the living room.

"Hey Jess," he said.

"Don't come in, Dad!" Jessica's voice exclaimed from somewhere in the room.

"Why not?" Horatio asked confused.

"You won't like what you see!" Jessica quickly said.

"Jess, what's going on?" Horatio continued to ask.

"Nothing!" Jessica said. Horatio knew he heard a quiet gasp and then Jessica's bare legs curled up over the back of the couch. She rested one along the top of the back and Horatio caught a glimpse of Ryan's bare butt.

"Are you having sex on my couch?" Horatio questioned, trying to decide whether to step into the room.

"Shit, you can see us," Jessica said, pulling her legs and Ryan's body down.

Horatio sighed and rubbed his temple. "Could you really not make it upstairs to one of the bedrooms?"

"Oh believe me when I say no." Jessica chuckled. "Poor Ryan almost didn't even make it inside."

Horatio groaned and walked down the hall towards the stairs. "I can't believe you two some days."

Jessica chuckled lightly as she ran her hands across Ryan's naked lower half.

"I think we might have embarrassed him or made him angry," she whispered.

"Or a little of both," Ryan muttered between pleasure filled gasps.

* * *

Horatio carried the still sleeping Oliver down the stairs and into the kitchen. Oliver made a quiet whimpering sound and slowly opened his eyes. He smiled up at his grandfather and reached out his hands towards Horatio. Horatio smiled and began carefully playing with the small baby. Oliver grasped Horatio's index finger and smiled as he pulled Horatio's hand towards him.

"You're so strong," he quietly said. "Look at you, already pushing me around like I'm some kind of softy. Well I must admit, I do seem to have a soft spot for you, Oliver. But look at you, already tough as nails. Just like your mother."

"That's why I wanted to give him the name Horatio," Ryan quietly said as he walked into the kitchen. "Because I knew he was strong. Had to be to fight his way out when he knew he was going to die."

Horatio smiled at Ryan as he leaned against the counter. "Done defiling my couch now?"

"Had to mark my territory," Ryan chuckled.

"I take back what I said about you earlier, Mr. Wolfe," Horatio sarcastically said.

"And what would that be?" Jessica inquired as she entered the kitchen.

"Oh just the fact that I picked the one guy in the lab who I thought wouldn't take you to bed," Horatio smirked.

"Well if it's any justification I didn't take her to bed our first time." Ryan smirked. "We didn't even make it off my couch."

Horatio chuckled and stroked Oliver's fuzzy head. "I see some things never change," he said with a roll of his eyes.

* * *

Ryan moaned loudly as Jessica laved her tongue across his hard manhood around the cock plug. His hips bucked slightly and she held him down in place. He squirmed with pleasure and groaned as the feeling of euphoria swept through his body while Jessica's tongue swirled around the head of his hard member.

Then everything happened in a rush. He was suddenly crying out and the quivering of his body commenced. He laid there for a moment panting before he sat up to face Jessica. Ryan stared at her as she looked at him with a disgusted and perturbed expression on her face. Ryan's semen ran down the side of her face as Jessica stood and walked into the bathroom.

Shame washed through Ryan's body as he curled up on his side on the bed, carefully pulling out the cock plug. Then he stood and pulled on a pair of boxers and jeans, as he threw the cock plug in the trash can. He slowly opened the bathroom door to find Jessica washing her face at the sink. She looked at him as she toweled off, anger still in her eyes.

Ryan turned and walked from the room, trying to put as much distance as he could between him and Jessica. He ended up in her photography studio. He sat on the floor and began to quietly cry. He was ashamed of himself for what he did. He was ashamed that he had done something so degrading to the woman he loved. There was no way she would say yes to him now.

A light flashing distracted him momentarily and Ryan looked up to see Jessica standing behind one of her cameras. She looked at him with a sad expression.

"Why are you crying?" she whispered.

Ryan shook his head and turned away. There were a few more flashes of light and then Jessica was kneeling beside him. Her hands wandered across the bare flesh of his skin and Ryan could still see the flash of the camera going off.

"Talk to me," Jessica whispered to him. "Tell me, what's going on that's got you so upset."

Ryan shook his head again as more tears flowed from his eyes.

"Ryan Wolfe," Jessica whispered, "Please, I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"I'm disgusting," Ryan finally muttered. "I ejaculated all over your face. I'm a disgusting pig."

Jessica's slender arms wrapped around his shoulders and held him close. "No you're not," she whispered to him. "It was an accident."

"But you're mad at me," Ryan quietly said.

"No I'm not," Jessica said, gentling kissing his neck. "I was at first but I know you would never do that to me on purpose. It's ok, I forgive you."

"No, you're still mad," Ryan quietly argued.

"No I'm not," Jessica gently replied. She shifted around his body so she was facing him and gently held his face. "Ryan, everything's fine. It was just a freak thing. You got too excited. I still love you."

Small tears crawled down Ryan's face. "Do you really?" he whispered.

Jessica couldn't help but giggle and she kissed the end of his nose. "Yes, I do. I love you very much and everything's ok. It would take a lot more than you ejaculating on my face to make me stop loving you." She looked deep into his eyes smiled at him. "You're on your man period, aren't you?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders and began brushing away his tears. "I don't know," he mumbled.

"Well I think you are," Jessica said. "You always seemed to get moodier just after the time I would have my period. I think my hormones would just set yours off and your estrogen levels were just through the roof. Now I don't get my period anymore and you're just thrown out of whack."

Ryan chuckled lightly and gave her a weak smile. "You're probably right," he whispered. "Sorry I just caused you such a huge headache."

Jessica smiled at him and crawled into his lap. "It's ok," she whispered, "It just happens sometimes and you just need a good old fashion crying session."

Ryan smiled and held her close. "Yeah, I definitely think that one was overdue."

"It's probably just stress, really," Jessica said. "You were led to believe I was dead, then I was gone for so long, then I came back, pregnant, delivered our son five weeks early, you had to make a hasty decision in order to save my life, then my father almost died but you saved him at the last minute, and then you jizzed all over my face."

Ryan laughed and held her close. "Yeah, I think that sums up the last year of my life."

Jessica smiled and kissed him as she straddled his hips and guided him to lay down. She swiftly removed what little clothing he was wearing and her own and guided him inside her. Ryan moaned lightly and rolled over on top of her, gently thrusting in and out of Jessica. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered "I love you."

Jessica wrapped her arms around his torso and held him as close as possible. "I love you, too," she whispered, "No matter what happens, I'll always be here for you, Ryan Wolfe."


	13. Blown Away

**So I didn't realize until yesterday, I've already written 20 stories. O.O I knew I had a lot, since my main series is on number eleven right now and I've had quite a few standalones and other mini series, but I didn't think it was that many. Shit, I have been busy…**

**Ok the events of this chapter take place at the beginning of season ten, but the time frame I have this chapter in is actually towards the end of season nine. But I couldn't pass up such a good opportunity to write a response to an episode. It's short, but I think it gets the point across. Careful, if you haven't seen this episode there may be spoilers…**

* * *

Blown Away

* * *

Ryan and Walter laughed as they walked outside the MDPD, leaving the lab for the day. Ryan smiled when he saw Jessica walking towards them, carrying Oliver in her arms. The delight of seeing his girlfriend suddenly left him when he could see the anger burning in her eyes.

Jessica shoved Oliver into Eric's arms and grabbed the front of Ryan's shirt.

"You idiot!" she screamed. "How could you risk your life for a goddamn dead body?! I mean, really, Ryan! She was fucking dead and you tried to preserve a crime scene in an F2 tornado?! What the hell is wrong with the two of you?!"

Ryan cowered away from her, but Jessica kept a tight grip on his white t-shirt. She pulled him closer to her face, her blue eyes burning in their sockets.

"Why would you almost do that to me?!" she screamed. "You almost _died!_ I would have been left all alone in this world because you're so fucking concerned about a girl who's already dead!"

Ryan could feel his entire body shaking as Jessica continued to scream at him. "I'm sorry," he barely managed to whisper.

"_Sorry?!"_ Jessica screamed in response. "You risk your safety and nearly die and all you can say is you're sorry?!"

"Jess, I had to preserve the crime scene," Ryan tried to explain.

Jessica tightened her grip on his shirt and pulled him closer to her face. "You're lucky you're already beat to hell, otherwise I'd give you a what for," she sneered in his face.

"Ok, that's enough," Horatio intervened. He grabbed Jessica around the waist and pulled her away from Ryan, but her hands stayed locked on his shirt. "You better let go of his shirt before you rip it, Jessica," he said. "I don't think his girlfriend would appreciate that, since she's the one who bought it for him."

Jessica clenched her fists briefly before she finally released her grip on Ryan. She glared at him as Horatio continued to hold her tightly.

"Relax Jessica," Horatio said, trying to soothe her, "Ryan's just fine. Walter saved his life."

"And that's the only thing I've appreciative of right now," Jessica growled. "Thank you, Walter, for saving my goddamn, stupid, sorry ass boyfriend from dying. But I'm pissed at you, too! Between the two of you, you should have known to leave the body and just hide in the closet!"

"I'm sorry, Jess," Walter quietly said, "We were just trying to do our job."

"But for what price?" Jessica snapped. "Your lives aren't worth any murder charge. I love you guys too much to care if a murder goes unsolved just because of the weather. We can figure these things out after the fact, but I can't bring you guys back if you die!"

Jessica suddenly sank towards the ground as she began sobbing uncontrollably. Horatio knelt with her and held her gently as she cried with heaving sobs, burying her face into his shoulder.

"If you guys would have died I don't know what I would have done!" Jessica cried. "I mean, you guys are my friends and I love you and…"

Ryan hesitated but knelt beside her. He gently touched her cheek and Jessica looked at him with her watery blue eyes. She softly held his face and brought it to her own, kissing his passionately.

"Please don't ever do something like that again," she whispered to him. "I love you too much to loose you. I don't want a world where you're not there with me, Ryan. Please, don't risk your safety just to catch the bad guy."

"I'm sorry, love," Ryan whispered, "I shouldn't have done it. We should have just gone back to the lab and waited out the storm."

"You risked so much," Jessica continued to whisper. "You almost left us."

Eric knelt down and settled the tiny Oliver into Ryan's arms. Oliver looked up at Ryan with his blue eyes, but he didn't smile this time. Ryan stroked his son's head with a shaking hand as tears began crawling down his face.

"Please don't let our son grow up without a father," Jessica quietly said, "Because I really didn't want to marry Greg Sanders."

Ryan couldn't help but chuckle. He leaned over and kissed her.

"I'm so sorry, Jessica," he whispered. "I promise you, I'll never do _anything_ like that ever again."

"Good," Jessica whispered, gently touching his cheek. "Now let's go home. The hospital said you need to rest after being thrown through the air like that."

They walked towards Jessica's car together, hand-in-hand, Oliver held protectively in Ryan's arms. Horatio watched them and smiled to himself.

"Oh…my…god," Walter quietly said, "I have never seen Jessica that angry before."

Horatio chuckled and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. "It doesn't happen very often," he said, "and good thing, too. I don't think the city of Miami could handle it."

"Must have been one hell of a time if she threw a tantrum as a kid," Eric chuckled.

"Oh it was," Horatio said with a laugh. "Again, it didn't happen very often, but when it did, the whole neighborhood knew about it."


	14. Family Traits

**This one felt like it took all day to edit. .**

* * *

Family Traits

* * *

Jessica and Ryan woke with a start as their phones rang simultaneously early in the morning. They each grabbed their respective cell and read the screen.

"All hands on deck," Ryan read.

"Including me," Jessica said confused.

"Must be something big," Ryan commented as he climbed from the bed and walked to Oliver's crib.

"Must be," Jessica said as she accepted the baby to begin feeding him. "The only problem is what do we do with Oliver?"

"Rachael and Rodger are out of town," Ryan said, "And if it's an all hands on deck then everyone from the lab's going to be there."

"Well there is one other option," Jessica said, looking at Ryan with a pleading expression.

"Oh no," Ryan said shaking his head, "We're not leaving Oliver with Uncle Ron."

"Ryan, he's our only option right now." Jessica said, "He's always been careful with him when we've visited. Besides, he lives only a few blocks from MDPD. We can stop over and see him when we take a break and I can feed him. Please Ryan, I know we can trust Uncle Ron with our son."

Ryan sighed as he began picking out clothes for him and Jessica. "Fine, but don't get mad at me when I say I told you so."

"Oh please, Oliver was born in a morgue, what's the worse that could happen?"

* * *

Ryan shielded his eyes from the sun as he watched the helicopter fly low over the building. It began it's descent onto the tarmac roof.

"Shit, must be something big if they're calling in reinforcements," he commented as he and Jessica walked into the Miami Dade building.

"Yeah, really," Jessica said. "Where are they from?'

"Not sure, I couldn't read the name printed on the side of the chopper."

Jessica stopped and watched as a second helicopter flew through the air towards the building. It hovered and waited as the first helicopter took off.

"Two? Man, I really want to know what's going on now," she commented.

The lab was all a buzz as they walked through the halls. They signed in and headed for the locker room. Jessica stopped and backtracked when they passed the layout room.

"Greg!" she exclaimed as she ran into the room.

Greg Sanders turned and looked at Jessica with excitement in his caramel colored eyes.

"Jessica!" he excitedly exclaimed as Jessica jumped into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist and kissed his cheek again and again.

"Oh my god, Greg! I'm so excited to see you!" Jessica continued to squeal with delight. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming to visit?"

"Because I didn't know until four hours ago and I knew you would be sleeping," Greg chuckled as he staggered under her weight.

"What, no love for me?" a familiar voice said.

Jessica looked to see Nick Stokes walking into the layout room with Sara Sidle. She leapt from Greg's arms and ran to Nick, hugging him and kissing his cheek.

"Oh I'm so excited you guys are here!" Jessica exclaimed as she hugged Sara.

"Well I wish it was on better terms," Catherine Willows said as she walked in with Horatio.

"What's going on?" Ryan asked as he playfully punched Greg in the arm in greeting.

"Well it seems our mass serial killer that we've been tracking for almost two years now has fled to Miami." Catherine explained, "You might know him as Charles Pell, but we know him as Hector Barnes. When you scanned his prints into AFIS two weeks ago we got notice that Barnes's prints were filed somewhere."

"So why are there four of you here?" Ryan inquired, "Wouldn't two be enough?"

"Well we've all worked on one or another case involving Barnes," Nick explained. "So we packed up all the evidence we had from him and booked a trip to Miami."

"Well except for me," Greg said.

"What do you mean, G?" Jessica asked.

"I'm actually filling in on a case." Greg explained, "The original CSI was removed from the case. So I've been reading up on the case on the flight here."

"Who was that?" Jessica inquired.

"No one," Greg said.

Jessica noticed for the first time Greg was fiddling with a case file. Jessica quickly snatched it from his hands and read over the first page of information.

"Langston?" Jessica read. She looked at Greg with worried eyes. "Where's Ray?"

The room fell silent. An eerie feeling crept through Jessica's veins as she continued to stare at Greg.

"Ray's in Baltimore," Catherine quietly said.

Jessica spun on her heels and stared at her. "Baltimore?" she whispered. "Why?"

"He had a bit of an epiphany," Catherine quietly said. "Something happened and he moved to Baltimore with his ex-wife."

"What happened?" Jessica asked.

"He, um, well," Catherine said, struggling for the right words. "He killed someone."

Jessica stared at her dumbfounded. "He killed someone?" she whispered.

"Yeah, he did," Catherine quietly said, "And unfortunately I have to say, I think that's just what he needed."

Jessica stood there silently, trying to process what Catherine had just said. Greg gently squeezed her shoulder, reassuring her everything was fine.

"Horatio," Natalia said, interrupting the conversation, "I've got something you're going to want to see." She walked over to Horatio and handed him a few sheets of paper.

Horatio stared at the computer print outs in disbelief. "This can't be," he whispered.

"I've ran the test three times, and I've already started a fourth, just to be sure," Natalia said.

Ryan looked over Horatio's shoulder and his face grew pale. "No," he whispered.

"What is it?" Jessica inquired, trying to fight the sudden anxiety she was beginning to feel from the way everyone was acting.

"Nothing," Ryan said, shaking his head.

"No, it's something," Horatio said. He handed the papers to Jessica. The color drained from her face as she read the DNA results.

"James had another brother," she whispered.

* * *

"So Hector Barnes's mother didn't give him the Wilson last name," Horatio said as he paced the layout room. Evidence covered every inch of the table and light board, a mixture from Vegas and Miami.

"Paternal match to one James Wilson and Craig Wilson," Catherine read from the DNA report. "So they all have the same father."

"But this one doesn't look like James and Craig," Jessica said, staring at the picture of Hubert Barnes. "James and Craig had sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes. Barnes has brown hair and brown eyes."

"You don't think he knows…" Ryan quietly said, his voice trailing off, but his eyes gazing at Jessica.

"No, I don't think he knows who I am," Jessica said. "If he does he did a good job at hiding the fact." She crossed her arms across her chest and secretly held her sore breasts in her hands.

"Do you need to go see Ollie?" Ryan quietly asked her.

Jessica nodded her head. "Yeah, he's probably going to get hungry soon anyways," she said. "I'll be back as soon as I can, H."

"Take your time, Bug," Horatio smiled, kissing the side of her head. "Your son probably needs you."

"Can I go, too?" Sara suddenly asked.

Jessica smiled. "Of course, I'm sure Oliver would love to meet you."

"Hey, what about the rest of us?" Nick playfully asked with a smile.

"I'll bring him by later," Jessica said. "I just need to hurry and see him before I start leaking."

Horatio stared at Barnes's face on the light board. "So murder runs in the family," he said. "How many cases do you have involving Barnes?" he asked Catherine.

"Four," Catherine answered, "All involving young women. He seems to have a type; early to mid-twenties, blonde hair, slender build."

Chills ran through Horatio's body as he looked at several picture of Barnes's victims. There was something too familiar looking about the women as panic began deep within him.

"He has a type alright," he quietly said, "And it's Jessica."

* * *

Jessica and Sara arrived back about an hour later. Horatio almost immediately grabbed her and held her tight against his side as they walked through the lab.

"What's going, H?" Jessica quietly asked.

"Barnes's was practicing when he was in Vegas," Horatio quickly explained. "Those four women he killed were just a warm up for the bigger performance."

"You mean John Smith?" Jessica asked, confused by what was going on.

"No," Horatio quietly said.

"Then who?" Jessica asked.

"You," Horatio said almost inaudibly.

Jessica's eyes grew twice in size as she was led back to the layout room. She looked at the pictures of Barnes's other victims. They looked incredibly similar to her.

"So you think he's trying to kill me?" she quietly whispered.

"That seems to be the plan," Eric said as he began shuffling through evidence from Vegas with Nick.

"But he hasn't," Jessica said.

"He might have not known who you are when we went to the restaurant a few weeks ago," Eric explained.

"Or he could be waiting for a later date," Greg said, joining them.

"Like when?" Jessica asked.

Greg looked at her somberly. "You didn't notice what today's date is, did you?" he quietly asked.

Jessica looked at him momentarily before she slipped her hand into her pocket. She pulled out her cell phone and read the date printed on the screen.

"June 14th," she whispered.

"A little over a year since James was executed," Horatio whispered. "And not quite a year since Craig was killed."

* * *

The caravan of Hummers pulled along the street. Several CSIs climbed from each and gathered in the street one block away from Barnes's house.

"So he's after Jess," Nick said.

"But we're beating him to the punch line," Horatio said.

"We're going in and arresting him for five counts of murder," Catherine continued.

"But no blowing his head off," Jessica muttered, almost angry.

"No Jess," Horatio said, "We need to bring him in one piece. Nothing like last time."

"Last time?" Nick asked, pulling back the slide of his glock to check that the chamber was loaded.

"I may have killed his brother before we even left the crime scene last year," Jessica said, not a hint of fear in her voice.

"Shit," Nick said, "Maybe you should stay here."

"No, I'm going in, too," Jessica determinedly said.

"Don't try to stop her either," Ryan said, slipping an extra magazine into his pocket. "Jess always wins."

"You got that right," Greg chuckled.

"Like you would know," Ryan playfully retorted.

"Hey man, just remember, your girlfriend proposed to me first, not you" Greg said with a smirk.

"Shut up, lab rat," Ryan chuckled, elbowing him in the side.

"Alright," Horatio said, regaining order, "Greg and Sara enter from the back of the house. Eric, Nick, and Jessica, you go in through the east side door, from the garage. Catherine, Ryan, and I will come in through the front."

"How can a guy that works in a pizza shop afford to live in a place like this?" Nick asked as they approached the house through the neighbor's yard.

"He's probably got a side business," Jessica said as she picked the lock to the garage. "Got it."

They slipped inside the garage and Jessica quickly tripped the lock to the house.

"We're taking the third floor?" Jessica asked as they began quietly climbing the stairs.

"Yeah, H, Catherine, and Ryan have the first and second, and Greg and Sara have the basemen," Eric explained.

"Go figure he'd make the pregnant one climb the stairs," Jessica grumbled.

"Now I'm not a doctor," Nick chuckled, "But I'm pretty sure once the baby comes out you're no longer pregnant."

Jessica smiled at him briefly before she began creeping down the hall. "You might be right about that one," she quietly said.

Nick looked into every room, each time coming up empty. He ran back into Eric at the end of the twisting hall.

"This guy's even got an elevator in his house," Nick told Eric.

"For real?" Eric asked. "This guy's got to be rolling in the dough."

"Eric, Nick," Horatio said as he, Catherine, and Ryan approached them, "What did you find?"

"Nothing," Nick disappointedly said.

"Where's Jess?" Ryan asked.

Sara came running down the hall out of breath. "I can't find Greg," she panted.

"You can't find Greg?" Catherine asked.

"No, one minute he was there and the next he's gone," Sara explained. "I've looked everywhere."

"Maybe not everywhere," Nick said as he pushed on a wall next to the elevator. It easily slid to the side, revealing another room with a staircase.

"You go up and we'll go down?" Horatio asked as he looked in the room.

"Fair enough, but I'm taking your CSI with me," Catherine said with a wink. "Eric's kind of cute," she whispered to Horatio.

Horatio chuckled and shook his head. "If I wasn't concerned for my daughter I'd find that funnier."

Horatio, Nick, and Ryan quietly descended the stairs. Horatio's heart hammered in his chest when they finally found Jessica.

She was on her knees, her hands tied at the wrist in front of her body, the barrel of a sawed off shotgun in her mouth. Her eyes were wide and her face pale as she stared at them from where Barnes held her in place by her hair in the center of the room.

"You know what's funny about this house?" Barnes said, his eyes menacing. "It was originally part of the Underground Railroad. This was where the rebellious southerners who supported the cause hid fleeing slaves."

He smiled at Horatio. Horatio's blood ran cold when he realized it was the same smile as James.

"I knew you would come here, Lieutenant," Barnes continued. "I knew you'd try to catch me sooner or later. I know how you work. James told Craig and me all about you. He told us what makes you tick and how you always have to be the hero. I knew you'd come find me before I could get your little girl."

"Don't do it, Hector," Horatio quietly said, slowly taking a step towards him. "Just let Jess go."

"I had to get your attention though," Barnes said. "I couldn't just appear out of no where and kill her. I had to start small and work my way up. That's what those girls in Vegas were. Just nobodies no one would miss. I needed to get in under the radar. Then I needed a bigger attention getter. That's why Smith had to pay. I needed something to get your attention, but not be too obvious. I knew cleaning under his nails would bring you back to the restaurant, back to me. Then you would find out I killed those girls in Vegas, and you would have an urgency to lock me up. So you'd come to my house, but you had to be stupid enough to bring her right to me."

His grip on Jessica's hair tightened and he pushed the gun barrel farther into her mouth, nearly gagging her.

"Let her go," Horatio said in a demanding voice. "Let my little girl go."

"You know what the only problem with my plan is?" Barnes asked Horatio, as if he had never spoken. "There's no way for me to take out her little boy, too. I wanted to rid the world of every trace of her. Unfortunately that little bastard will get to live. Oh well, at least his father will have someone to hold once she's gone."

"Drop the gun," Horatio said slowly, each word biting into the air. "Drop the gun and back away from my daughter."

"Why don't you make me?" Barnes sneered. "Because you take one step closer and I blow her brains out. My only regret will be I never got to enjoy her like my brother did."

"Fuck off!" Ryan suddenly snapped.

Barnes looked at him and laughed. "You're pathetic," he said. "It's your bastard, isn't it?"

"Get away from her!" Ryan growled. "Get away from her or I'll kill you!"

"Oooh, Officer Wolfe, those are fighting words," Barnes said, shaking his head. "Careful, you might provoke me into doing something I want to do."

He clicked the safety off the shotgun and smiled his terrible grin at Horatio.

"Say good-bye, Izzy," Barnes said.

Fear flitted through Jessica's eyes as large wet spots began to form on her shirt. She looked up at Horatio with a terrified, pleading expression.

A shot rang out loudly in the small space. The CSIs watched as Barnes crumbled to the ground, the shotgun sliding from Jessica's mouth as his grip gave out. Greg Sanders stood in the frame of a hidden doorway just mere feet behind Barnes's now dead body. His eyes were hard and his face rigid. He dropped his glock to the floor and pulled off his track style jacket. He carefully slipped it around Jessica's shoulder and cut her hands apart. He stood and looked at Barnes's body on the ground before he turned and left through the same door he had mysteriously appeared in.

Ryan dropped his gun and crashed to his knees beside Jessica. He carefully held her shoulders and whispered words of comfort to her. She silently nodded her head, pulling the jacket around her torso as she pushed her arms into the sleeves, zipping it up to hide her wet shirt. He leaned his head against hers and gently held her in his arms. Catherine, Sara, and Eric came rushing down the stairs and stopped and stared at where Barnes's laid dead on the floor.

"Shit," Sara muttered, "I thought we were trying to bring him in alive."

* * *

Jessica stared at the crime scene photos. Only one round had been collected at Barnes's house. A single spent round had been extracted from the back of his skull. Jessica shivered as she stared at his dead eyes. Though they weren't the same icy blue color as James's, they still had an evil gleam to them.

Calleigh walked into the layout room and gently touched Jessica's arm.

"Ballistics results," she quietly said. "One round, lodged in Barnes's skull. It's a match to Greg Sanders's LVPD issued glock."

Jessica nodded her head and read over the report, noting the exclusion test for each person's gun that had been in the house.

"Something wrong, Jess?" Calleigh quietly asked.

Jessica slowly shook her head. "It's just…" she began, her words trailing off. "It's just that I fell for it. Barnes wanted me to come to his house, so he could kill me. And I was stupid enough to fall for it."

"There's no way you could have known," Calleigh whispered.

"But I should have," Jessica said again. "When we figured out he was after me I should have stayed in the lab. I should have just let everyone else go, but I had to be ignorant and go along."

"You're not ignorant or stupid," Calleigh encouragingly said. "You're just so determined sometimes it's hard for you to let it go."

"I need to go pick up Oliver," Jessica quietly said, pulling away from Calleigh. "Uncle Ron called and said he's starting to fuss because he's hungry."

Calleigh watched her walk away, noting, though she had changed from her wet shirt, she was still wearing Greg's sweatshirt.

Horatio and Catherine walked into the layout room with Ryan and Nick.

"Where's Jess going?" Nick asked.

"She's going to go pick up Oliver," Calleigh informed them.

"She coming back?" Nick inquired.

Calleigh shrugged. "I don't know, she didn't say."

Sara walked in and sighed heavily. "Greg's still not talking," she said. "I can't tell if he's upset or not."

"Why would he be upset?" Calleigh asked.

Nick looked at her with saddened eyes. "Greg hardly ever carries a gun in the field. If he does he doesn't use it. I've only ever seen him fire his weapon on the shooting range. He even struggles with simulations when we use blanks."

"Is he scared of guns?" Calleigh asked.

"I don't think he's scared to use it," Catherine said. "I think he's scared of hurting someone. A few years ago he ran over a young man and killed him in order to protect an innocent man who was being beaten. Since then he seems hesitant to fight, especially when it comes to his gun."

"He did use a two-by-four one time to take out a suspect when we were at a crematory," Nick explained. He chuckled and gave a small smile. "Quite innovative if you ask me."

"He definitely didn't hesitate in shooting Barnes, though," Calleigh said. "If he had there would have been evidence of a misfire."

"He was protecting Jessica," Ryan whispered. "He's keeping his promise of keeping her safe, even though she's no longer pregnant."

"He loves her," Nick quietly said. "She holds a special place in the little lab rat's heart."

Ryan smiled at him. "Who doesn't she?"

* * *

Jessica quietly walked into the break room. Greg was sitting on a couch alone; his hands held together, his body hunched forward, his head hung towards the ground. She sat beside him and he briefly looked up before he looked back at the tile floor. Jessica gently brought his gaze to hers and kissed his cheek. She softly pushed his shoulders back so he was sitting up. She leaned down, lifted the tiny Oliver from his car seat, and gingerly placed him in Greg's arms.

Greg stared down at the small baby in his arms. His eyes grew twice in size as realization washed over him. His hand shook slightly as he gently stroked Oliver's brown hair.

"Greg Sanders," Jessica quietly whispered, "Meet your Godson, Oliver David Horatio Wolfe."

A small smile began to creep across Greg's face as he looked at the baby in his arms. He gently stroked Oliver's cheek and smiled brighter when Oliver grasped his finger in his tiny fist. The light slowly began to return to Greg's eyes as Oliver smiled at him.

"He doesn't smile for just anyone," Jessica whispered in Greg's ear. "Only people who he knows are important in his life. And you are one of the most important people he will ever have in his life, because you were there for him before he came into this world."

Greg smiled at her and looked back at the small baby in his arms.

"Hi Oliver," he whispered, "I'm Greg. I'm the one who bought you all those kiwis your Mom just had to have when she was in Vegas."

Jessica chuckled and leaned into Greg's side.

"Thank you, G," she whispered.

Greg smiled and kissed her forehead.

"You're welcome, Jelly," he whispered in response.


	15. Hanging by a Moment

**Name that band that wrote the song that I used as a title!  
Ps- There's no prize for guessing right.**

* * *

Hanging by a Moment

* * *

Horatio sleepily walked into his crowded kitchen. He had insisted that the Las Vegas CSIs stay with him, rather than book a hotel. The only exception was Greg Sanders, who Jessica demanded stay with her and Ryan.

He was tired and needed coffee. He tried not to groan when he found the pot empty. Sara was looking through his cupboards when she finally gave up.

"Ok, where do you keep the coffee?" she said. "We drank it all before you got any like impolite houseguests and I'm trying to fix this problem."

"This one," Horatio muttered as he pulled a bag from the cupboard next to the one Sara was searching through.

"Damn it," Sara said, "That's where I was going to look next."

"Alright," Jessica said as she walked into the kitchen with Ryan and Greg, "Who wants some breakfast?"

"You came all the way over here to make us breakfast?" Nick chuckled as Jessica began unloading a grocery bag.

"Well yeah," Jessica derisively said. "Might as well feed you all at once and make it easy on us."

"You make it sound like a chore when you say it that way," Greg chuckled as he began cooking with her.

* * *

"So there's more of them," Horatio quietly said as he paced the layout room.

"More of what?" Catherine asked as she nervously watched him.

"More men out there who share a DNA sequence with James Wilson," Horatio muttered, almost to himself. "And they know where Jessica is. The real question is how did they find her?"

"The mysterious letters that were sent to us last year were positive for Barnes's DNA and fingerprints," Ryan said as he walked into the layout room.

"You tested them?" Horatio asked him.

Ryan nodded his head. "I had a hunch so I went with it."

"So there might still be more out there," Horatio said, looking at pictures of the three Wilson brothers. "Just waiting for their moment."

* * *

Ryan shifted on his feet and paced the room. He stuffed his hand into his pocket and fidgeted with the ring box inside. He pulled it out and looked at it again. Nick walked into the room with Horatio and Ryan quickly stuffed the ring box into his pocket.

"Something wrong there, chief?" Nick playfully asked. "You jumped like a foot there."

"Nothing, everything's fine," Ryan quietly muttered as he shuffled papers on the table.

"Then why are you so jumpy?" Nick inquired.

"I'm not jumpy," he quietly said. Ryan looked at Horatio and sighed. "Damn it, can't lie to you."

"Of course you can't," Horatio smirked. "Now, tell us, what's going on?"

Ryan sighed and shifted in his spot. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring box.

"Yesterday was too close a call again." Ryan explained, "That man could have killed Jess. If it hadn't been for Greg shooting him Jessica would be dead. I can't live another day knowing that the woman I love could leave me at any time. I can't stand here knowing that we could die at any time and I never told her how much I truly love her. I can't go another day not having Jessica as my wife. No more waiting. Today's the day." Ryan looked deep into Horatio's blue eyes. "I'm asking Jessica for her hand in marriage."

Horatio smiled and looked at Ryan. He walked over to the young man and silently encased him in his arms, words too much for him.

* * *

Jessica sighed as she set the box of tampons on the bathroom counter in the women's restroom in the locker room. She looked at them again, a little surprised she felt sad about the fact she would never again have the hassle of a menstrual cycle. Calleigh burst through the door. She stopped and did a double take towards the box.

"Oh thank god!" she exclaimed, grabbing a tampon out of the box and rushed into a stall.

Jessica smiled weakly and leaned against the wall. "I take it Mother Nature sent you a little surprise and you weren't prepared," she said with a light chuckle.

"That she did," Calleigh lightheartedly said as she emerged from the stall and began washing her hands. "And I was so not ready for this one; showed up two weeks early."

Jessica sighed again and stared at her feet. "Guess I won't have to worry about that anymore," she quietly said.

Calleigh could detect the disappointment in her voice. She dropped the paper towels she had used into the trash and walked over to Jessica. Calleigh gently wrapped her arms around Jessica's shoulders and hugged her.

"I'm sorry, Jess," she whispered.

"About what?" Jessica quietly asked. "I mean, I should be saying I feel sorry for you. I no longer have the annoyance of fussing with tampons or worrying about protection during sex or the pain of menstrual cramps. I mean really, I didn't get that bad of a deal here."

Calleigh smiled at her and gently touched her cheek. "That's the spirit," she whispered. "It'll get better over time."

"I know," Jessica whispered, "It's just really hard right now."

They walked out of the bathroom together and back down towards the ballistics lab.

"You know anyone who wants a shit ton of condoms?" Jessica asked Calleigh.

Calleigh laughed and nudged her in the arm. "I take it Ryan had a stockpile ready for when you came home."

"Oh yeah he did," Jessica giggled. "He was good and ready for anything."

* * *

"I have to go pick up Oliver," Jessica explained to Ryan over the phone later that afternoon. "I'll be back in like an hour. Everyone at the lab's begging to see him. He really only got to see Greg yesterday, so I promised I'd bring him in."

"Alright," Ryan said, "I'll be waiting."

Jessica chuckled as she climbed into her car. "You always are," she said with a smile.

Ryan hung up his phone and stared at the screen. His throat suddenly felt dry and his palms sweaty. He pulled the ladybug shaped ring box from his pocket and sighed at the sight of it. Horatio gently grasped his shoulder and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It's almost time," he whispered.

Ryan nodded his head. "This is going to be the longest hour of my life."

* * *

Everyone stood around the main lobby area, just outside the elevator. Ryan fidgeted nervously in the center of the group, just waiting as his heart hammered in his chest.

"Don't look so scared," Nick called out to him, chuckling and smiling.

Ryan looked back at him and shook his head. "I'm not scared," he chuckled.

"Just freaking out, that's all," Greg sarcastically said.

Horatio grasped Ryan's shoulders and squeezed them. "Just remember," he whispered to him, "Be confident. You already know what she's going to say. You just don't know how she's going to say it."

Ryan smiled and glanced at Horatio over his shoulder. "Thanks Dad," he whispered.

The elevator dinged and Horatio backed away from Ryan.

"Show time," Horatio quietly said, just before the doors opened.

* * *

Jessica walked out of the elevator to see the entire crime lab and most of the Miami Dade Police Department standing in the lobby. Ryan was standing in the center, Horatio about fifteen feet behind him. Both men were looking at her with the same loving expression on their face. Kyle walked up next to her and carefully took Oliver in his car seat from her. He smiled and winked at her as he went to stand next to their father.

Jessica cautiously walked towards Ryan.

"Ryan, what's going on?" she quietly asked.

Ryan didn't answer. Instead he placed both of his hands on her face and kissed her. For some reason it left Jessica breathless. Jessica looked into Ryan's hazel eyes as he stared into her ocean blue Caine ones. He stepped back slightly.

"Jessica," he began, "I love you more than anyone in this world. You are single handedly the most amazing person I've ever met. You've changed my life and brought me true happiness and love. You gave me the greatest gift in the world, a son that we can love and cherish together forever. You've helped me to become a better person than I've ever been. Every minute I'm with you is pure bliss. I never want to be away from you ever. You are my everything and my world. I want to spend the rest of our lives together with you by my side."

Ryan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet ladybug box. He dropped to his knee and opened it. Inside was the most beautiful silver and ruby ring Jessica had ever seen. It was in that moment that Jessica realized what was happening, and she began to slowly cry, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

"When I think of the future, I don't see just myself. I see you there with me. I see little Oliver and even Lucy," Ryan said with a smirk. "I see us growing old as we live our lives together. I see a world that's just for us, and I'd love to share that future, that world with you, forever, if you'll let me.

"Jessica Elizabeth Stone Caine," Ryan slowly said, "Will you marry me?"

Jessica stood there in shock. She leaned down and kissed him. When she straightened up she looked into his eyes, her hands still holding his face, and answered him.  
"Ryan Wolfe," her voice shook slightly, "There is nothing in this world that I want more than to have you in my life forever and to spend the rest of eternity together. You are my soul. Yes, Ryan, I will marry you."

Jessica was suddenly being lifted off the ground and she felt Ryan's lips pressed hard against her own. He held her there for what seemed like forever before he finally released her and placed her back on the ground. Jessica realized that everyone was clapping. She had completely forgotten they weren't alone, but it didn't matter, all that she could think about in that moment was Ryan.

Ryan took her left hand and Jessica realized that he was attempting to remove the ring on her finger. Jessica looked into his eyes.

"I have one that will look better on this finger, but I promise you can keep this one," he smiled at her.

"Alright, fair enough," she said, kissing his smile.

Jessica switched the pink ring over to her right hand and held out her left. Ryan slid the new one in place and they both admired its beauty for a moment before Ryan stole another kiss.

They stood with their foreheads together and looked at each other.

"I love you so much, Jessie."  
"I love you, too, you sneaky bastard."

Ryan laughed at her and they kissed again.

Ryan suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder and saw one on Jessica's. Ryan turned to see Horatio's blue eyes looking into his own.  
"I told you she would say yes," Horatio said to him, "And here you were freaking for the last hour for nothing." Horatio smiled at him. "Congratulations son." He hugged Ryan and then turned towards his daughter. "Oh Jessie Bug," was all he could manage before he pulled his little girl into his arms.

"Daddy," Jessica said through tears of joy, "I'm getting married!"

Kyle was suddenly at Ryan's side. "Hey big bro, congrats!" Kyle said as he hugged Ryan, "You better take care of my sister. She's the only one that I've got."

Oliver fussed and Ryan lifted him from the car seat. He held his son against his chest and soothed him until he stopped crying. He kissed the side of his head and leaned his cheek against Oliver's tiny, fuzz covered head.

"Don't worry, Kyle, I would never hurt Jessica, ever." Ryan felt tears begin to form in his eyes. "She's become my world and the last thing I want to do is ruin that."

"Good, because she needs someone like you," Kyle said as he stroked Oliver's cheek.

Ryan looked at him, the same ocean blue Caine eyes looking at him. "And I need her."

* * *

Nick whistled as he held Jessica's left hand in his own, admiring the beauty of her new engagement ring.

"Damn Ryan," he said with a smile, "You've got great taste."

Ryan gave him a brief smile before he turned his attention back to his son in his arms. He carefully handed Oliver over to Catherine who smiled brightly at the sight of him.

"Well hello Oliver Wolfe," she said cheerfully. "It's nice to meet the reason my newest CSI couldn't actually work in the field after only a few months of employment." She smiled at the small baby and gently rocked him in her arms. "He's so precious," she quietly said.

"My turn!" Greg eagerly said, holding out his arms.

"Didn't you get enough of him yesterday, G?" Nick chuckled, still looking over the ring on Jessica's hand. He smiled at her and Jessica leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Well he's my Godson and I think I should be allowed to hold him whenever I want," Greg said in a determined voice.

"Sounds like someone else I know," Calleigh chuckled, nudging Eric in the side. He rolled his eyes and playfully nudged her back.

"So I love the little tike, big deal," Eric said with a smile.

"Even if you do have to share him?" Calleigh teased.

"Yes, but I think Jessica and Ryan picked a good co-Godfather," Eric said, glancing at Greg. "Even if I do have to share my duties, I don't think they could have picked a better man."

Greg smiled at him and the tops of his ears turned red ever so slightly. "Thanks Eric," he whispered.

Oliver began to fuss and Greg walked him over to Jessica. She sat on the couch in Horatio's office while Ryan helped her cover herself with a blanket.

Nick nudged Ryan in the arm and gave him a playful smirk. "I touched your girl's breasts," he said in a sarcastic voice. "How does that make you feel?"

Ryan lightheartedly punched Nick in the arm and shook his head. "And you made out with her while you guys were naked," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Not to mention half the of the Las Vegas AV department has seen me naked now, thanks to someone's undercover job she gave us," Jessica said, shooting a sardonic look at Catherine.

"I said I was sorry," Catherine chuckled, "I didn't know Archie was going to go all middle school boy on it and show everyone the video."

Jessica chuckled and shifted her son in her arms. "It's ok, Catherine," she said as she handed Oliver off to Ryan, "I didn't think he would either."

"Great, now everyone knows what Jessica looks like naked," Ryan said in a jokingly dry manner. "No secrets here. Might as well get married naked."

"I'm sure half the guest wouldn't mind," Jessica chuckled as she stood from the couch. She wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and held him against her chest as he continued to pat Oliver on the back. "I know you wouldn't mind at all."

Ryan smiled and kissed her forehead. "I love you anyway you'll give me," he whispered. Ryan jumped slightly as Oliver belched loudly.

Greg couldn't help but laugh as he walked over to him. "Yup, he's definitely the byproduct of Jelly," he said as he gently stroked Oliver's cheek.

* * *

Jessica was lying on her side in her bed, watching the light dance off the new ring on her left hand. Ryan was laying about a foot from her, their baby boy in between them. Ryan ran his hand over the thick brown peach fuzz on Oliver's head and cupped his freckled cheek. Oliver was asleep and looked like a perfect angel. Ryan softly placed his hand on Oliver's chest, feeling his heart beat.

"How does it feel?" Jessica quietly asked him.

"How does what feel?" Ryan asked.

"To be a dad?" she smiled at him, her ocean blue Caine eyes looking at him over the frames of her glasses.

Ryan smiled and looked back at the tiny body on the bed. "Incredible. I can't believe we created this little being."

"Yeah, it's amazing that our DNA made this perfect child."

"Well, I think Horatio helped a little." Ryan indicated the mass of freckles, much like Horatio's, and the blue eyes that were now closed.

"Yeah, it amazes me that Oliver got Horatio's eyes. I mean it's in my genetic code to have green or brown eyes. I would have thought he'd have brown with that hair."

Ryan leaned across their baby and kissed Jessica. "I think it's incredible and I'm glad Horatio's your father."

"Well," Jessica said, holding up her hand for him to see the ring, "He's going to be yours now, too."

Ryan held Jessica's hand and admired the ring. Its beauty never seemed to stop surprising him. It was silver with a ruby placed in the center of a dozen tiny pearls. A Celtic knot spiraled along the band and twined along the top and bottom of the ruby.

"How did you pick this out?" Jessica asked, "I mean what made you decide on this ring?"

"I didn't," Ryan responded, "Your father picked it out."  
Jessica looked surprised. "You mean Horatio picked it out?"

"Well, in a way." Ryan answered, "Horatio picked it out but Brian had the final say. He agreed with Horatio and paid for it." He kissed her again and looked into her eyes.

Jessica realized what Ryan was saying and looked back at the ring. Tears formed in her eyes as sorrow and joy filled her heart.

"This was my mother's?" Jessica choked out.

"Yes," Ryan told her, "Horatio said your mother wanted you to have it when you got married and Brian agreed. The only condition though was that it had to be the right man. When Brian died he told Horatio. Horatio promised he wouldn't let just anyone have it. He wasn't even going to give it to me right away. About two months after you left he called me into his office and gave it to me. He said he felt I truly meant it when I told him I loved you and wanted to marry you."

Jessica continued to look at the ring. Horatio hadn't approved of their relationship when she and Ryan first started dating. It made sense that Horatio would have hesitated in giving Ryan the ring.

"I love you," Jessica said to Ryan.

"I love you, too, Jessie." Ryan smiled at her and kissed her lightly.

Oliver began to whine between them. Every little noise he made sounded so similar to Ryan, but Jessica always seemed to know what each whining noise meant. Jessica rolled over, lifted up their baby, and held him close. She lifted her shirt and unclasped her bra in the front. She held the small child to her chest and he began to quietly suckle.

Ryan watched as mother and child shared such an intimate moment together. Jessica's hair flowed around her head, almost as if it was floating around her. Oliver's tiny hands grasped his mother's body and his mouth moved slowly.

Ryan crawled the short distance to his new fiancée and son. He pressed his body against hers and wrapped his left arm across her abdomen. Jessica was so much smaller now, and Ryan felt like a part of her was missing. Ryan looked at his son and moved his hand up to his head.

They lay there together, the small family of three. Ryan could feel tears forming in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Jessica asked quietly.

"It's all so perfect." Ryan said. "You're home, we're together again, we're getting married, and we have this beautiful little son."

Jessica looked at Ryan with concern in her eyes. "Do you still fear me leaving sometimes?"

"No," Ryan answered, "because you may have stolen my heart but I have yours, and you can't live without your heart."

Jessica smiled and leaned her head towards Ryan's. He stretched the distance and kissed her.

"Now what makes you think that I wanted to kiss you, Mr. Wolfe?" she asked.

Ryan smiled at her. "Because, _Dr. Wolfe_, you are my soul and I know what you want."

Jessica chuckled. "Then what do I want right now?"

"You want that little baby to finish eating so we can make slow and tender love," Ryan whispered in her ear. "Then I'm going to hump you like crazy all night long!" he jokingly said as he bit at her neck.

Jessica laughed and Oliver wobbled under the sudden movement. Ryan kept him stabilized with his hand on the baby's back.

"You really do know me well." Jessica smiled, as she placed her hand on top of Ryan's.

Ryan smiled at her lovingly. "I told you, you are my soul and without you I'm incomplete."

* * *

**Has anyone seen the pictures of Jonathan Togo's new son? Frickin' most adorable kid! Looks just like him!  
And no, I didn't base Oliver off his son. I didn't even know he was having a baby until like two months before he was born, which at that point I had completed this story and was just in the editing process and working on uploading the last few chapters of the last story I wrote.**


	16. Never the End

**The answer to the question at the beginning of my last chapter- Lifehouse.  
I've also had request to see pictures of Jessica's engagement ring. I actually don't have any available, because I designed it in my mind. I'll try to find something similar and post it.**

* * *

Never the End

* * *

Horatio and Jessica walked along the beach together. He gently held her hand and his thumb brushed against the ruby ring.

"So Dad," Jessica quietly said to him, "How does it feel being a grandfather and knowing your little girl is going to get married?"

Horatio smiled and held her hand up so he could look at her ring. "Incredible," he whispered. "Like nothing else in this world. Words can't describe what I'm feeling right now."

Jessica smiled and leaned into his side. "I can't believe it," she whispered. "It's finally happening. Ryan and I are getting married. After almost two years together we're getting married."

"For a while there I didn't know if it would ever happen," Horatio quietly said. "I thought you two would end up as a common law marriage after living together for twenty years."

Jessica chuckled and stopped to look at her father. She smiled at him and carefully brushed the hair from his face the wind had tousled, just as he always did to her as a child. Her palm gently held his freckled cheek as tears formed in her eyes.

"This is really happening," she whispered. "I'm really getting married."

Horatio gently held her hand and kissed her knuckles. "To a man I know will always love and protect you," he quietly said. "Even if he's a Bruins' fan and is scared of nail guns and swimming in the deep end of the ocean."

Jessica chuckled and smiled at her father. "I think it's his imperfections that make him so perfect."

Horatio held her face in his hands and leaned down and kissed her.

"That's exactly how I felt about your mother," he whispered.

* * *

**Ok, the title's kind of a lie. This is the end of another chapter in Jessica and Ryan's (and little Oliver's) life together. Stay tuned for the next in the series! :D**

**Peace out! ~KC**

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